


Counting Lost Days (The Walking Dead Fan Fiction)

by Grimes_Dixon



Category: Supernatural, Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Walkers (Walking Dead), Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2014-10-09
Packaged: 2018-01-04 17:11:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 46,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1083550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grimes_Dixon/pseuds/Grimes_Dixon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her world is crumbling down as Dean Winchester comes to the rescue and ends up in Ricks group. Does love still exist? Will it be with Daryl? Rick? Dean? Is there really a sanctuary, a place to call home again?</p><p>This is Fan Fiction, just a fun story to read. I don't own any rights to The Walking Dead/Supernatural ECT. ECT.</p><p>I just used the characters Dean and Sam and put them into the walking dead universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Trust

**Author's Note:**

> The first chapter explains what happened before she meets Rick and his group. The next chapter will have Rick and the group. So keep reading, it does get better. Hope you enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first Walking Dead Story so please be nice.  
> I realized that the writing isn't the best but assure you that future stories will as my writing is progressing and with the help of my beta reader for new stories I have planned.  
> Thank you!

**Chapter 1: Trust**

  
   
I drove home after I said goodbye to my friend Carol. I decided to end girl’s night early so she could go home to her daughter Sofia and to surprise my husband Matt since our four year old son Hunter was spending the night at my sister’s house. I dropped my keys on the table on the side of the door when I got in. The lights were off so I figured Matt was sleeping. I walked upstairs quietly not wanting to wake him. He was an officer and was always working and coming home exhausted.  
  
“What the fuck?” I yelled as I walked into my bedroom door.  
  
“Lana?” Matt looked to me in shock. “Why aren’t you at Carol’s?”  
  
I looked to Matt in disgust as the naked woman next to him got up and started putting her clothes on.  
  
“Lana, let me explain.” Matt was putting on his pants.  
  
“I saw enough. What is there to explain? I hope she’s worth is because our marriage is over. You can keep the cheap whore!”  
  
“Who are you calling a cheap whore?” The woman defended herself as she grabbed Matt’s gun from his police uniform got close to me and pointed it right at my face.  
  
“Cristy, put the gun down.” Matt tried to calm down the situation taking baby steps towards her.  
  
“Matt let’s get rid of her. It’s you and I, remember what you told me. You’re a cop, you can easily get rid of her body.” Cristy negotiated with  
Matt leaving eye contact with me and looked towards him. I saw my opportunity, I pushed her hand that was holding the gun away from me and punched her face as hard as I could. It caught her off guard which made her pull the trigger. She punched me back and I pushed her against the wall grabbed her hair and pounded her head against the wall as I  punched her once more knocking her out. I looked back to Matt and saw him on the floor with a gunshot to his heart.  
  
“Oh fuck!” I ran to Matt putting pressure to the wound, he wasn’t breathing. I was on my knees next to his dead body thinking of what to do. I then quickly ran to the telephone on the nightstand and dialed 911 but as soon as I dialed I saw from the corner of my eye Matt getting up.  
  
“911 what’s your emergency?” I slowly removed the phone from my ear.  
  
“Ma… Matt?” He then looked my way. “Matt?” He then let out a loud groaning sound and paced my way. “Matt!” I yelled and he got to me. He grabbed me and tried to bite me. As my right hand was holding tightly to his neck holding him back I swung the phone as hard as I could to his face and it sent him back a bit letting me go. I saw Cristy get up and look at what was happing in disbelief.  
  
“What the hell did you do?” She yelled at me.  
  
Matt then looked to her and I ran out the door, I turned around and Cristy was about to run out the door as well. I don’t know why I did it but I closed the door on her holding on to the door knob not letting her come out of the room. I heard her scream in horror banging on the door then she stopped as I heard a thumping sound. I ran down stairs grabbed my keys and got into the car. I sat in there shaking, my mind running a thousand miles on what happened. I then slapped myself snapping back into reality. Hunter. I need to go to my sister’s.  
  
Still shaking I pulled out of the driveway driving to my sister’s which was twenty six miles away. I looked down to my hands as I was driving. They were shaking and bloody. The roads got quiet as I drove out to the outskirts of town. Fog started building up as I can only see the street lights now. Not many cars at all on the road but when I did see a car my heart started racing when it would drive the opposite way I was going. I was very anxious and jumped to any noise that was made. As I tried to focus my eyes on the road one by one each of the street lights started shutting off making it completely dark all around me except for my headlights reflecting on the fog. Without me noticing my speed of 60 mph went down to 40. I got this eerie feeling running through me. I was the only car driving down a dark foggy road.  
  
I saw something bright ahead. As I got closer I noticed it was a fire. Two cars crashed into each other, power lines were down causing sparks as one of the cars was on fire. I stopped a few feet away from the site in disbelief. I then heard a child scream. I couldn’t just sit in my car. It was a child who needed help so I got out and ran over to the back seat of the car that was not on fire and saw a child in her car seat, she couldn’t have been more than two years old.

The front seat caved into the child’s legs. I tried to move the seat to get the child out and at the same time trying to calm down the child from screaming out her lungs. I glanced over to the driver’s side and saw a woman’s bloody lifeless body. I got the chair to budge a bit and I kept pushing it to release the child. I then felt someone grab my hair. I turned around and saw a man with a badly twisted neck and blood dripping from his mouth trying to bite me. I tried to push him off of me but his weight dropped me to the ground. I kicked and tried everything in my power to push this man off of me. I then heard the child scream even louder like she was in more agonizing pain than before. I finally pushed the man who was bleeding all over me off and glanced at the child. I was going to throw up. I saw the woman in the driver’s seat literally tearing the flesh off the child, feeding itself. The man started limping towards me. There was nothing I could do, the child was already dead. I ran to my car and drove at high speed.  
  
I finally got to my sister’s house. I ran and pounded on the door like a mad woman. No one was answering. I checked to see if her car was still there. It was. I looked through the windows but couldn’t see a thing. It was dark in there. I ran to the back of the house, grabbed the wooden baseball bat I saw laying on the ground and broke the window. I climbed into a dark kitchen. I tried to turn on the lights but nothing. I have to use the moonlight that was shinning lightly into the house for guidance.  
  
“Crystal? Hunter?” I yelled out. The only thing I heard was my footsteps. I silently walked upstairs.  
  
“Lana?” I vaguely heard crystal call out my name. I then ran to her bedroom.  
  
“Mommy!” Hunter ran to me and almost knocked me to the ground with his hug. I looked at the situation in the room. Crystal was standing by her bed, her husband Chet was dead on the floor and a man I did not know was standing by the body.  
  
“What’s going on?” I questioned.  
  
“Th… this man came and…and uh, saved us from Chet. He was… he is… he was not himself.” Crystal was stuttering trying to explain.  
  
“Mrs.” The man looked to me. “We need to leave. As crazy as this sounds, the dead has come back to life.”  
  
I tried to gulp but it felt like a tractor was stuck in my throat. “Where do we go?”  
  
“Far away from here. We need to find my brother.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Because we may be able to stop all this, but we need to move now. With every second that passes it is just going to get worse. You guys need to trust me.”  
  
I had no idea who this man was but I strangely felt comfortable giving him my complete trust to get us through this. There was this vibe I got off of him and I had no idea how to explain it.  
  
He walked up to me and put his hand out. “Dean.” He introduced himself with a strong facial expression letting me know he will protect us.  
  
I put my hand out. His hand shake was strong and firm. “Lana.” 


	2. Shoot to Kill

Dean led us to his black 1967 Chevy Impala that I completely ignored as I pulled up to the driveway. He opened the trunk and gave Crystal and I knives and a handgun. He gave us both a quick rundown of the guns, when the safety is on and how it works. I knew how it works, I mean come on, my husband was an officer, I just never thought I would ever fire one in my life but I still listened to what Dean had to say about it. We got into his car and drove off. I sat in the back seat with Hunter sending him calm words and brushing his hair back to relax him. Dean turned on the radio.

“This is an emergency broadcast. Warning, this is not a test. The bodies of the dead are returning to life and attacking the living. Warning, The bodies of the dead are returning to life and attacking the living. Do not approach or apprehend these bodies as they are extremely dangerous. If you are hearing this broadcast take caution and make your way to the nearest Military base camp. If you cannot make it to your nearest Military base camp stay home and lock your doors. I repeat, do not make contact with the bodies of the dead.” After that broadcast all you can hear was the Emergency Alert sound. It was spine chilling to hear that. I looked out to the foggy dark night as we got closer to the city. I saw people running down the streets, cars going in wrong directions and fire flames coming out of buildings.

“We are going to make a quick stop at Top Ammo Justice.” Dean informed Crystal and I.

“Why?” I questioned.

“I’m running low on ammo. I’m going to park in the back. I gave you what you need to protect your selves while I go in and sweep out what I need.”

We got to the ammo shop.

“I’m gonna go in quick. Don’t make a noise and don’t open for anyone.” Dean firmly looked to Crystal, Hunter and I. We didn’t say a word, just nodded to what he was saying. I saw Dean disappear through the door.

“Mommy, I’m scared.”

“I know Hunter, you need to stay strong right now and be a big boy now you hear me?”

“Why isn’t daddy here?” I just looked down, not knowing what to tell him. I then looked around trying to figure out my surroundings. It was quiet. Why wasn’t anyone at the gun shop? I’d figure people would try to get in and get weapons. Minutes passed.

“Dean is taking too long.” I mentioned to Crystal.

“He’s a big boy, he can handle it.”

“I don’t know, I have this real bad feeling.” We stood quiet and I heard Hunters stomach growl. “I’m gonna go in and see what’s taking him.”

“Are you crazy! You can’t leave me here. He told us to stay here.”

“I need you to watch Hunter. You are armed, you guys will be fine.” I kissed Hunter on the forehead and gave him my knife. “You listen to Crystal. You are a big boy now, hold on to this and use it on anyone you do not know okay.”

“Okay.” Hunter looked to me like he wanted to cry.

“I love you honey.”

“I love you too mommy.”

I walked out of the car and looked to Hunter and Crystal one last time before I quietly walked into the shop. I looked around. I saw no one. There was broken glass on the floor and ammo scattered around like someone raided the place already. I turned and saw another room. I quietly walked towards the room with my back against the wall to not be seen as I had my gun out ready to fire. As I looked in I saw three men whose backs were facing me and saw Dean standing with his hands in the air. One of the men had a gun pointing right at him and the other two were holding a knife and an axe. Dean’s eyes quickly glanced at me acknowledging my presence. I pointed my gun right at the man holding the gun and with my other hand signaled Dean to take down the other two men. I then nodded slightly signaling him that the action was about to start.

I fired my gun as Dean charged after one of the men. My shot was not great. I grazed the man’s shoulder but it was enough to make him drop his gun. I walked closer to him as he turned to see me and shot again this time getting him right in his stomach. The man fell to the ground and I turned and saw Dean struggling with both of the men. I then shot the man who was holding the axe in his chest and the man started gasping for air. Dean then picked up his gun from the floor and shot the man with the knife cold in the face. Dean then looked to the man I shot in the stomach as he was bleeding out. Dean shot him in the forehead. I looked blankly at what just happened. I couldn’t believe I shot someone.

“Come on, let’s get what we need and get out of here.” Dean gently pulled my arm with him. Dean was quickly coaching me through what we need to get, what kind of bullets and how to tell them apart. We stocked up and jogged to the back exit. My heart dropped when I saw more than 20 dead people surrounding the car with Crystal and Hunter screaming and I saw more of the dead walking towards the noise.

“Shoot to kill.” Dean loaded his gun and started taking out one by one with head shots. I started shooting but I was real bad at it. I was getting the chest and arms. One of the dead grabbed a hold of my arm and I put my gun to his head and shot… nothing, I ran out of bullets. All of a sudden brains splattered all over me. I turned quickly and saw that dean was covering me when I was in danger of being taken down by the dead. I quickly reloaded and started shooting.

“There are too many!” I yelled out to dean who was several feet away from me.

“Crystal! Can you hear me! You need to drive to the front of the shop. We'll meet you up there!” Dean yelled to the top of his lungs. I saw Crystal climb to the driver’s seat as Dean and I were moving around and shooting. I then heard more gun shots. I looked around to see where it was coming from and saw two men in police uniforms running to the middle of the dead infested parking lot shooting the dead. After that raid each of the dead were on the floor, dead again. I ran to the car and opened the door and Hunter jumped on me. I held on to him hugging him with a strong relief. I saw Dean pointing his gun to the two men.

“Whoa now. Put the gun down. We’re not here to hurt you.” One of the men calmly told Dean.

“Dean, what are you doing?” I yelled out. “They’re cops!”

“I don’t care who you are, what do you want?”

“We don’t want anything from you. We saw you guys were in trouble, we though you could use our help.” The man stated.

“Dean!” I yelled out again. Dean then slowly put down his gun.

“This place is not safe; this whole city is not safe. We have a small group of people outside the city. You are more than welcome to come with us.”

I put Hunter back in the car and told him to stay put. I walked up to Dean.

“Dean, I think we should go with them. They seem genuine. They are cops and they are helping us out. I know you are looking for your brother but we need to at least look into what they have, then we will go find your brother and I’ll be right there by your side, I promise but please, I’m begging you, Hunter is hungry and we all need a quick breather to clean up.” Dean then stopped looking to the two men and looked at me. The man who was talking to Dean slowly walked toward us and held out his hand.

“Rick Grimes. That man there is Shane Walsh.” I went in and shook his hand.

“Lana.”

“You can trust us.” Rick calmly stated. I saw Dean suck up his pride and shook Ricks hand.

“Dean.” He introduced himself back.

“We should wrap this love fest up, more walkers are coming.” Shane announced walking towards the police car.

“You guys can follow us. Stay close, the roads are pretty ugly.” Rick warned us as he walked to the police car. Dean and I got into his car and followed Rick and Shane to God knows where.

After we got out of the mess in the city we got on an empty highway and drove deep into the fog. It was quiet in the car. Dean serious expression wouldn’t dim down.

“How did you lose your brother?” I softly asked from the back seat.

Dean stood quiet, like he didn’t want to answer the question. “We got in an argument. He took off. That was two days ago.”

“Do you have an idea of where he could maybe be?”

“If I know Sammy, I have a couple of clues.”

“Mommy, we need to go get daddy.” Hunter said yawning as he was falling asleep.

I sat there silently not knowing what to say. I glanced at Dean through the rear view mirror and he looked at me with slight concern on his face. I leaned my head on the window looking out to the night fog. Keeping Hunter safe was all that I was worried about right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry Daryl fans keep reading. You wont regret it! Wink!  
> Also Rick fans...keep reading...all I'm going to say...wink!


	3. Stay in the Car

I felt my eyes drifting in and out. I was trying to stay awake. Then the car stopped right in the middle of the road.

“Why are we stopping?”

“They stopped.” Dean looked to the police car in front of us. “Stay here.” Dean got out of the car and walked towards Rick and Shane as they were getting out of their car. I could vaguely see what they were doing; the fog was blocking my view. Dean came back to the car.

“There are cars surrounding the area and they are low on fuel. They’re going to siphon gas and I’m gonna look through some cars for things we need. I want you to stay in the car.”

“Dean, I can…” Dean shut the door and disappeared into the fog. “Help.” I silently finished my sentence to myself. I looked at Hunter and Crystal started waking up.

“Where’s Dean?” Crystal asked rubbing her eyes.

“Gathering supplies from the car pill up ahead.”

“Well I need to pee.”

“You can’t hold it?” I looked to Crystal.

“I doubt Dean wants me to mess up his car with my pee.” Crystal stated as she walked out of the car.

“Crystal!” I yelled for her to get back in. She disappeared. “Damn it.” I mumbled and looked down to Hunter. He was still asleep. I heard Crystal yell.

“Damn it.” I whispered as I got out of the car and closed the door and ran towards the scream. “Crystal!”

I saw a skinny tall beaten down man holding his stomach with blood running down his hands walking towards crystal. He was alive.

“Please miss, please.” The man kept saying walking slowly towards Crystal. Crystal was freaking out and backed up to the side of one of the crashed cars. I pulled my gun out and pointed it to the man focusing on his moves. Then a dead person grabbed Crystal out of nowhere and bit down on her neck. I looked to Crystal as she fell to the floor screaming, ran to her and got a clean head shot to the dead persons head. I was running to Crystal yelling her name out and before I got to her Dean grabbed me from behind holding me back as Shane walked over to Crystal and Rick ran after the tall skinny man who ran away after the dead person bit her. Shane stared at her with a disappointed face shaking his head.

“She’s gonna turn.” Shane pulled out his gun.

“No!” I yelled as Dean was still holding me from behind not letting me get close.

“She’s dying. Once someone dies or gets bit they turn into one of those freaks that bit her.” Shane explained to me as he took a couple of steps towards me. I shook Dean off of me and slowly walked towards Crystal pulling my gun back out. I then got down to one knee and stared at Crystal. It completely broke my heart to see her suffering slowly dying right in front of my eyes.

“Why couldn’t you just stay in the car?” I slightly whispered. Not letting myself cry. I gently took off the gold necklace with angel wings she had around her neck and held on to it. I then aimed the gun to her forehead as I stared into her eyes.

“See you on the other side.” I whispered and pulled the trigger. I didn’t move for a few seconds as my eyes closed. I then got up and walked passed Shane and Dean going back to the car. Hunter was awake when I climbed in the backseat.

“Mommy, where’s Crystal?” I didn’t say a word or even look at Hunter as I pulled Hunter in for a hug with my right arm and looked down to Crystal’s necklace in my left hand. I sat there for what felt like forever and finally Dean came back to the car. He looked to me asking if I was okay, I was still staring at the necklace and Hunter was asleep on me. I didn’t bother moving, talking or looking up to Dean. Dean then turned on the car and started following Rick and Shane as they were moving through the wreckage of crashed cars all around.

The car stopped again. I finally took my eyes off the necklace and looked around. I saw a farm. People were appearing out of the fog walking towards the police car. Hunter woke up and we got out with Dean. We stood by the car not knowing what to do. I saw a child run up to Rick hugging him, Shane walked to the distant house and an Asian guy with a baseball cap gave Rick a half hug.

“Thank goodness you guys made it back. We were all worrying.” The Asian guy told Rick.

“We got into some trouble. We brought guests.” Rick told the Asian guy as he walked towards us.

“Hi, I’m Glenn.” The Asian guy introduced himself putting his hand out for a handshake.

“Dean.” They shook hands I just stood there with dried up blood all over me holding on to Hunter.

“That’s Lana and Hunter.” Dean introduced Hunter and I to Glenn. Glenn took notice to my reaction and physical appearance.

“Lana, let me show you to the bathroom. We have clean clothes you can change into.” Glenn gently walked towards me as he grabbed my hand.

“I’ll watch Hunter.” Dean told me and Glenn took me inside the house.

“Let me introduce you to everyone.” Glenn told me as we walked in to six people in the living room. “That guy right there is Daryl, This is Hershel, She’s Maggie, Carl, Rick’s son, you already met Shane and that tall man right there with the bandages around his arm is Sam. Everyone, this is Lana.”

“Hello.” I put on a slight fake smile. I then saw Rick, Dean and Hunter walk in.

“Sam?” Dean looked to the tall man.

“Dean?” Sam then slowly limped to Dean and Dean walked to Sam and they gave each other a big emotional hug. Everyone looked in amazement as I did too. Who would have figured Dean’s brother was here at the farm. It’s a small world after all.

“Let me show you to the restroom.” Glenn led me the way upstairs. “Maggie will bring you clean clothes. There’s soap underneath the sink and towels are hanging right there. Make yourself at home.”

“Thank you.” I replied and slowly closed the door.

After a hot shower that my body desperately cried out for Maggie showed me the way to the room I would be sleeping in. She opened the door and turned on the light

“This is the last room we have available. You and Hunter should be comfortable in here. There are some extra blankets in the closet.” I looked around and saw Hunter already sleeping on the bed. “If you need anything else I’ll be in that room down the hall.” Maggie pointed out with a comforting smile.

“Thank you.” I whispered and walked into the room.

“Lana. I’m terribly sorry about your sister.” Maggie mentioned with sincerity in her voice.

I looked down and she walked away.

 

Next Day

“Lana. Lana wake up.” I opened my eyes and saw Dean standing above me. “We’re going to have a meeting downstairs.” I looked around the room.

“Where’s Hunter?”

“Downstairs having breakfast.”

I walked downstairs after I freshened up in the bathroom.

“Okay, we need to start conserving and strategizing. We don’t know when all this is going to blow over so we need to plan for the months ahead. Winter starts in a couple of days and the snow storms hit pretty hard.” Hershel announced to everyone in the living room.

“Sam and I actually need to start heading to D.C.” Dean stated to the group of people.

“What’s in D.C?” Rick questioned.

“A cure. Government facility up in the mountains that the dead has not even touched. Military forces. Help. It’s the safe zone from all this madness.” Dean said.

“How do you know that?” Rick stepped closer.

“Sam and I know things, connections with people. It’s our only hope. If we stay here we won’t be saved. No help is coming. With every second that passes more people are dying. The dead will outnumber the living.”

“You want to go to Washington D.C? Do you know how far that is? We won’t be able to reach D.C under these conditions. We don’t even know if that place will still be standing by the time you get there.” Shane stated.

“Well Sammy and I are going. I appreciate the hospitality but what are you going to do when the dead starts pilling out your door?” Dean told everyone.

“I hear you but Sam is in no condition to go anywhere right now. He sprained his ankle pretty bad and fractured his arm. He won’t make it five feet off of this farm. You guys can leave when Sam has healed. Right now we need to survive. We need more supplies, fuel, things to keep this farm running and prepare ourselves for when the power no longer works.” Hershel commanded. Dean looked to Sam as Sam nodded to Dean suggesting to him that we should all stay for the mean time.

“I’ll make runs to the city and gather supplies.” Glenn stated.

“We should spilt teams. Glenn and Maggie could hit one part of the town and Shane and I will hit the other.” Rick suggested.

“I’ll go hunt us some food.” Daryl responded as he walked out the door. Rick, Shane, Maggie and Glenn walked out as well getting started with their supply hunt.

“Dean, I could use your help tending to the animals out in the barn. Lana, you can stay here with Sam, Carl and Hunter."

So it was just me, Sam, Hunter and Carl left in the house.

“Hey Carl, could you go show Hunter where the crayons and coloring books are at?” Sam told Carl. They left the room heading upstairs.

“I’m sorry to hear about your sister.” Sam looked to me with sincerity in his brown eyes.

“Yea…” I looked down. “How are you feeling?” I looked to the bandages on his arm.

“Should be better in a few days… hopefully.”

“That’s good. You know I feel like I should be doing something to help out instead of just staying here in the house.”

“Everyone figured that you could use a break.”

“Could you watch Hunter please? I’m gonna have a look outside.”

“Sure thing.”

I walked outside. The sun was hiding behind dark clouds. I was walking around the farm and I saw Daryl working on a motorcycle.

“Hey.” I walked towards him. He just looked at me and then went back to working on his bike. “Can I help?”

“What do you know about motorcycles?” He asked in a rude manner.

“I’m talking about the hunt you’re going on?”

“What do you know about huntin?” He replied still working on his bike.

“Well…nothing but I really want to pull my weight. Can you teach me?” Daryl looked to me almost like I was annoying him. “I have a son I need to protect. I need to know these things. Please.” He stopped working on his bike and took a few steps towards me. He then pulled out a hunting knife and handed it to me.

“Let’s go.” Daryl then walked away and I followed him into the woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you got this far in reading I would just like to say thank you! You are awesome!


	4. Damsel in Distress

As we walked deeper into the woods Daryl explained to me everything he knows about hunting. He seemed to be pretty cold towards me and I just tried to ignore it.

“Never fire your gun unless you are backed into a corner with no way out. The sounds attract walkers.” Daryl explained.

“Walkers, is that what you call them?”

“What do you call them?”

“Hmm, I guess it’s a lot better than calling them the walking dead. Walkers sounds a lot better.”

After spending a lot of time out in the woods Daryl decided to head back. Dusk was upon us and we didn’t have any luck on hunting.

“I heard about your sister.” Daryl told me as we were heading out of the woods back to the farm.

I ignored his statement. I really tried not to think about it. “You think you can show me how to ride your motorcycle?” I looked down trying to watch my step from little hidden holes on the ground.

“Hmm, I don’t think you could handle it.”

“Why?” I said defensively looking right to him. I suddenly tripped over a hole and fell to the ground. “Damn it” I muttered.

“Because you’re clumsy.” Daryl answered as he walked over to me and put out his hand.

I looked up and slapped his hand away from me. “I can help myself up.” I sighed. He stood there staring at me as I was poorly trying to get myself up. I groaned in pain, held on to my ankle and gave up. I just sat there now. Daryl got down to one knee and gently grabbed my right ankle and slightly lifted my jeans up to take a look.

“Your ankle is swelling up.” He looked to me. I sat there feeling somewhat humiliated over the fact that I fell over a stupid little hole.

“I’m fine.” I tried to get up again but Daryl then put my arm around his neck and lifted me up from the ground.

“Another Damsel in distress.” He whispered.

“Put me down.” I angrily told him but he ignored me and kept walking. I struggled with him and then he finally put me down. I leaned against a tree for support.

“I’m not another damsel in distress.” I groaned

“Drama queen.” He whispered.

“Fuck you.” I glared and started limping back to the farm going tree to tree for support.

We finally reached the open field to the farm. I leaned on the last tree there was for me to lean on before I started heading to the farm. I didn’t know how I was going to make it that far without support but I sure as hell was not going to ask Daryl for help. I looked at him and he just stood there waiting for me to keep walking.

“What the hell are you waiting for?” I looked to him wanting him to just leave already. He didn’t say a word. “I can make it to the farm on my own.” I glared to him. I then limped my way to the open field. I was about to fall but Daryl grabbed my arm and put it around his neck and put his arm around my waist helping me walk to the farm. I let out a big groan. I didn’t want his help.

We finally reached the house and Dean walked out.

“What happened?” Dean walked towards Daryl and I.

“Little princess here fell, sprained her ankle.” Daryl answered. I pushed him off of me and was about to fall again but Dean grabbed me by my waist holding me up. Dean analyzed the hostility between Daryl and I. Dean helped me into the house and sat me down on the sofa.

“Mommy!” Hunter came running to me, jumped on the sofa and gave me a huge hug. “Mommy, what happened to you?”

I glanced to Daryl, he looked down and walked away. “I just sprained my ankle honey, its okay, I’m fine.”

“Now you can stay in the house with me, Carl and Sam.”

“Let me take a look.” Hershel walked towards me. “You sprained it. Stay off your feet for a couple of days and you should be fine.” He wrapped my ankle with an ice pack to help the swelling go down.

 

That Night

I’m sitting down on my bed. Hunter is downstairs with Carl and Sam coloring.

*Knock, knock* the door opens slowly.

“Rick and the crew came back from their run; everyone is getting ready for dinner now.” Dean walked in and stood by my bed.

“I’m not hungry.” I looked to Dean as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

“You gotta eat.” Dean suggested. I looked down not saying a word.

“Lana.” Dean put his hand over mine. “I know things are difficult right now but you need to stay strong. I’m here for you. If you want to vent I’m all ears.”

“I’m still not hungry.” Dean just stared at me for a few more seconds. He got up and slowly walked out the room.

I got up and limped to the bookshelf in my room and grabbed a book. I sat on the chair by the bookshelf and started reading. I got a few chapters in before there was another knock on the door.

“Come in.”

“Hey, brought you some food.” Rick walked in with a plate and a drink in his hands.

I slowly got up from my chair. “Thank you.” I then lost my balance.

“Whoa now.” Rick put down the plate and drink and quickly walked towards me. He put his hands on my waist to get me to stand up and my hands grabbed on to his shoulders for support. “Steady now.” He helped me sit down on the edge of the bed and sat down next to me.

“I know how it is to lose someone. Lori, my wife…” Rick stopped closed his eyes and looked down.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered. Rick sighed and looked back to me.

“We both need to stay strong and keep moving forward. We have children to keep safe. Carl needs me and Hunter needs you.” Rick softly put his hand over mine for comfort. We sat there and looked into each other’s eyes

*Knock, Knock, Knock* Dean and Hunter walked into the room. Rick got up from the bed.

“I’m going to put Carl to bed. You have a good night.”

“Good night Rick.”

“Mommy Dean told me he was going to read me a bedtime story.” Hunter happily told me as he jumped onto the bed.

“Hope you don’t mind.” Dean looked to me.

“By all means, go for it.” I said as I got up and headed to the food rick put down on the dresser.

I sat down on the chair eating as I stared at Dean telling Hunter a story tucking him into bed. As Dean was in the middle of his story he looked to me.

“He’s asleep.”

I just looked down letting out a half smile.

“Wow.” Dean said as he got up from the bed and walked towards me.

“What?” I looked up to Dean getting up from my chair.

“First time seeing you smile. I know it’s hard but you should do it more often.” Dean looked into my eyes as he stood right in front of me.

“Thank you for telling Hunter a bedtime story. His father…” I then looked down and closed my eyes not wanting to let my emotions come out.

“Your husband… I’m sor…”

“Don’t be.” I interrupted Dean. “He would have been my ex husband if the dead hadn’t risen. That cheating bastard.” I said in a low tone voice not wanting to wake Hunter.

“You should tell Hunter that he’s not coming back. He was asking for him earlier.”

“Yea.” I sighed. “I’ll let him know tomorrow. I’m gonna get some sleep.” I looked to Dean.

“Okay.” Dean paused looking at me with those green eyes. “Good night.” He whispered.

“Good night.”


	5. Seven Days

Seven days have passed and I’ve stayed inside the house. Dean kept insisting that I didn’t go on runs to the city for supplies, to just stay in the house and do activities with the kids. Sam and I became the teachers for Hunter and Carl. Shane decided to start boarding up the place so I helped the group prepare the place up.

The only times I’ve left the house was when Shane took me out for shooting practice a few times while Dean went out with the group to gather supplies. Shane was pretty much an arrogant son of a gun but he did teach me a lot of valuable techniques. Maggie and I became very close; we were the only two women in the house so it felt good to have some girl time. Rick is such a caring man, always checking up on me, helping me out being a single parent as I did to him. Within these seven days Daryl and I have not talked at all, we’ve only glanced at each other when the group had breakfast and dinner. I’ve come to get to know everyone in the group and they made me feel like one of them, it almost felt like there was no apocalypse happening… almost.

After breakfast I went up to my room and started putting away the mess that Hunter and Carl left last night. I moved the dresser and reached down to pick up Hunters book. I saw the hunting knife Daryl handed to me the day we went hunting. It must have fallen behind the dresser when I dropped my stuff on the table that night, I completely forgot to give it back to him. I took a stroll to the back of the barn where Daryl seems to spend his time to give it back to him. He was working on his motorcycle again, his back facing me.

“I forgot to give this back to you.”

Daryl turned around and looked to me as I handed him the knife. He then took the knife and turned back around. I stood there for a few seconds before I started to walk away.

“So you don’t wanna learn how to ride anymore?” Daryl questioned. I stopped walking and turned around.

“I do.”

He turned around and started walking towards me. He handed me the knife back.

“Let’s go for a ride.” He got on the motorcycle and I just stood there.

“Let’s go, I aint got all day.” I got on the bike. He showed me the basics of how it works and then we took off.

We went around the woods and found a little house that seemed to be abandoned. Daryl stopped on the side of the house and I released the grip I had around his stomach. He grabbed his crossbow and I had my knife ready. His hand gestures told me to stay quiet and what to do. He kicked open the locked door and we went in with caution. After we searched the place for walkers we were in the clear. The light flooded through the windows shinning on the dust floating through the air. Objects were scattered around the living room along with broken glass and old muddy footprints.

“Why don’t you make yourself useful and grab what’s worth takin?” His words hit me like ice. His attitude towards me was getting old.

As we searched the house we found a few cans of food, a bottle of pain killers and a half empty bottle of whiskey. As I was loading my bag with the canned food Daryl walked up to me.

“Can you pack any slower?”

I threw the last can in. I’ve had enough of his words.

“What the hell is your problem?”

“I wouldn’t get mad if I were you, don’t wanna put a wrinkle on that pretty face.” He started walking away from me.

“No, you do not walk away from me.” I grabbed his upper arm and turned him back to me. “What did I ever do to you? You don’t need to be an asshole about everything.”

“Calm down princess.”

“No! Don’t call me princess; stop with the fucking attitude and…”

“And what?” he interrupted

I looked up at the ceiling in frustration taking in a deep breath.

“Princess can’t even finish her sentence.” He mocked.

I glared at him, exhaled, picked up the bag and started walking to the door.

“Drama queen.” Daryl taunted.

I dropped my bag, turned around and slapped him right on the cheek.

“Bitch.” He muttered as he touched his cheek.

As I was about to walk away he tightly grabbed my upper arm and pulled me into his arms smacking his lips onto mine. I was stunned. My lips did not respond at all to his. His right hand grasped on tight to the back of my head slightly pulling my hair, that was my waking point and my lips finally responded. The kiss was rough and raw and I kind of liked it. I was so irritated at this man but I couldn't help but to be very attracted to him right now. I don’t know if it was the shirt and vest he wore that showed off his muscular form and strong arms or the macho badass charisma or the hard kiss he surprised me with but I didn’t want it to stop.

He then pushed me up against the door and moved his lips down under my jaw line and to my neck. His kisses were still rough and his touch just the same. His hand then found its way under my shirt.

*Bang!*

Daryl and I pulled away to see a walker banging the window. I grabbed the bag and pulled out my knife and he got his crossbow ready. As we walked out not only was there a walker by the window but walkers were appearing out of the woods and towards the house. Daryl started taking out the ones close to us. One of them got close to me. I grabbed my knife and stabbed it right in between the eyes. Awful gurgling and moaning is all I can hear from the walkers that were starting to surround us. I kicked back one of them as I stabbed another one in the head. My knife got stuck in the skull. I struggled to get it out but another walker got close so I turned around and pushed it as far away from me as I could and as I turned back around to get my knife another walker was right there in my face. Two inches away from being bitten and an arrow struck its head.

“Let’s go!” Daryl yelled. I quickly bent down to pull out the knife and arrow out of the skulls from the bloody, dirty walkers and ran to the motorcycle as I saw more coming after me. I got on and held on tight as we drove away from the rotting dead.

We finally got to the barn. I let go of Daryl and unpacked the bag.

“Hey, where’d you go?” I looked behind me and saw Dean walking towards us.

“We went on a run.” I responded handing him the bag. Dean looked at Daryl and I.

“I thought I told you not to worry about it. Hunter was worried about you.”

“I know but I just can’t sit around letting you guys take the load. I told you I can do more than just house work.” I got a little worked up.

“Okay, I hear you. Next time I’ll go with you. Just don’t disappear like that.” Dean finally gave in taking a glance at Daryl walking away from our conversation. Dean grabbed me and hugged me tight.

“Please let me know where you are. Don’t make me worry.”

“I’m sorry Dean.” I whispered. Dean then kissed my forehead slowly with his arms still wrapped around me.

Later that night when everyone was asleep I went outside for some fresh air. I saw Rick out in the open field and decided to accompany him.

“What are you doing out here?” I snuck up behind Rick.

“Keeping watch.” He turned to face me.

“You mind if I keep you company.”

Rick lightly smiled at me. “That would be great.”

Rick and I were patrolling the area and having amazing conversations. I didn’t want these moments with him to end. Our conversation suddenly took a turn to the emotional fireworks. He talked about his wife Lori, how he lost her and I talked about Matt and everything that happened. I stood there now silent after I told him everything. With my eyes closed tears still managed to escape. I thought about Matt, Crystal and the safety I need to provide for Hunter. I looked up to Rick and saw that he had his eyes closed with hurt on his face. I then wrapped my arms around Rick’s waist and buried my head on his chest releasing my tears. Rick secured me in his hold and we stood there for what seemed like a beautiful, painful hour. Rick seemed to always make me surrender to my emotions that I tried to bury.

We gently pulled away and stared into each other’s eyes under the moonlight.

“Rick.” I whispered. Still holding on to one another

“Lana. I think…” He whispered back.

“Patrolling the area, I see.” Shane yelled out as we turned to see him walking towards us from a distant. Rick and I slowly let go of each other.

“Don’t break up the party on my account.” Shane looked up and down at me with a smirk on his face.

“Good night Rick.” I walked away and back into the house.

The Next Day

Everyone gathered in the living room for another group meeting.

“We’re gonna need to go a couple cities out for a run. I mapped out everything accordingly and the trip should take two days tops. My buddy lived in that town and has an emergency stash he hid from everyone in case of natural disasters in his cellar. Water, food, medicine, water purifiers, guns, amo. It’s a gold mine.” Dean announced to the group. “We have no other choice. We are running low on supplies. I’m going to need a group to back me up. Sam, Glenn and Daryl, you guys with me?”

Sam, Glenn and Daryl nodded to Dean’s plan.

“I’m going with Glenn.” Maggie insisted.

“Are you sure about this? I could help you.” Rick questioned wondering why he was not included in the group.

“We need man power here to keep the barn running and children safe incase anything happens.” Dean then walked over to me. “I know I said you could come on the next run but this is too dangerous you need to stay.”

“Dean I can help…” Dean interrupted me.

“Hunter needs you.”

I didn’t have anything to say at the moment. Hunter didn’t want me to leave him again.

“So it’s settled.” Dean walked to the middle of the room. “Sam, Glenn, Daryl, Maggie and I. Let’s start packing up our gear. We leave tomorrow.”

Later That Day

I walked outside to see the sunlight. The sun has been hiding behind dark clouds lately and today the sun wanted to come out and shine. I walked around the barn breathing in the fresh air and heard something fall inside the barn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rick lovers stay tuned! All I'm gonna say ;)  
> 


	6. Kumbaya Clouded by Lust

I opened the door to the barn and saw Daryl putting his crossbow on the table.

“What do you want?” Daryl looked as I stood there by the door.

“Heard a noise. Just making sure everything is okay.”

“I don’t need a chaperone. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out.”

I closed the door but I didn’t leave.

“What is your problem?” I walked towards him. “I can’t read you. You are driving me insane. You hate me and then you kiss me and now you hate me again and…”

“I never said I hate you.” Daryl interrupted

I looked at him Bewildered for a moment. “Then what is your problem.”

“Why don’t you just leave me be.” Daryl looked away and started polishing his crossbow.

I grabbed his upper arm and turned him to me and he grabbed my waist and planted his lips on mine. I kissed him back instantly. The kiss was rough but it was not the same like our last kiss, Daryl’s body language was different, gentle. I was nervous and did not know what to do with my hands so I rested them on his arms, feeling his smooth muscles. His hands were caressing my hips, feeling every part of my waist and he pulled away.

“I want you.” Daryl abruptly blurted

“We need a condom.”

“I don’t have one.”

“I think the Asian guy uh….umm…” I plainly stated trying to remember his name but the kiss made me completely forget everything. “Glenn, I think he has some.”

“I think he’s Korean.” He corrected me.

“Whatever.”

“Go ask.” Daryl slightly nodded his head telling me to go.

“Why me?” I questioned but he grabbed me by my waist and started kissing me again. I pushed him groaning. I walked out of the barn and into the house looking for Glenn but I ran into Maggie first.

“Maggie, I need you to do me a favor, don’t ask questions, don’t make a big deal out of it but I need a condom and I know you and Glenn have some.” I whispered quickly to her.

“Um, okay.” I obviously caught her off guard as I saw her slightly surprise but curious face. We walked to her room and she pulled out a condom from her dresser. I grabbed it quickly.

“Thank you.” I snuck out of the house trying not to be seen and back to the barn.

I tossed the condom to Daryl and he roughly picked me up and put his lips on mine as I wrapped my legs around his waist. He hurriedly sat me down on the table and pulled off my shirt exposing my black bra then toke off his vest and shirt. I grabbed the side of his pants and pulled his waist as close to me as possible, feeling how hard he was. His chiseled chest pressed against mine, I felt his heartbeat rising. He moved his lips lower to my jaw. His tongue came out to play tracing my jaw line, feeling his hot breath on my neck made me quiver and weaker. He unzipped my pants, quickly took them off and went back to my neck, now biting my sweet spot. I couldn’t hold in my moans anymore and I felt Daryl’s lips form a smile on my neck. I unzipped his pants and explored the front of his briefs which made him let out a small "mmm" of pleasure. His hand now started exploring downstairs and I grabbed his face to taste his mouth as he quickly entered me. "Fuck." I moaned as he thrusted hard against me, his hands roughly holding on to my hips giving me everything he has. Our breathing now heavier, hearts palpitating, sweat glistening from our bodies, it was exhilarating and the thrill of being caught made it that much more dangerous. I felt alive.

Later That Evening

I was in the living room reading to Hunter when Glenn walked into the house.

“Hey Glenn.” I greeted.

“Hey Lana.”

“I’m going to go play with Carl mommy.”

“Okay Hunter.” I said as Hunter got up from the sofa and upstairs.

“So.” Glenn looked to me with a smirk on his face.

“So… what?”

“Maggie told me about the condom.”

I looked down and turned slightly pink as I laid the book on the coffee table.

“So you and Rick?”

“What? Why would you think it was with Rick?”

“Well Hershel is too old, Shane is not your type, Dean and Sam were with me the whole day preparing for tomorrow, Daryl doesn’t seem to like you, obviously it wasn’t with me and because Rick really likes you.” Glenn walked to the kitchen for some water.“How do you know Rick likes me?” I questioned walking after him.

“How he talks about you. He talks about you a lot.”

“Who talks about you a lot?” Dean walked into the kitchen.

I looked back to see Dean. “Hunter, Hunter talks about me a lot to Glenn.” I looked to Glenn as he looked to me bemused but quickly catching on to my facial expression.

“Yeah, kids you know.” Glenn walked out of the kitchen.

“Where is Hunter, told him I was going to play football with him today?” Dean walked closer to me.

“He’s upstairs with Carl. You know Hunter is taken by you. You are all he talks about.” I leaned back to the kitchen sink.

“He’s a great kid.” Dean positioned himself right in front of me.

“Thank you.” I looked down to my shoes.

“For what?”

“If it wasn’t for you, Hunter would have taken his father’s death harder than he did, and what happened to Crystal. You are there for him giving him someone to look up to.” I looked up to Dean with tears running down my face.

“Hey now, it’s okay.” Dean cupped my face and with his other hand wiped away my tears.

“I’m not sure about the run you guys are going on tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m taking a group with me, and will be back before you know it.”

“I just have this real bad feeling deep down in my stomach that…that…” I couldn’t finish my sentence. Dean pulled me in and wrapped his arms around me. I rested my head on his chest as he stroke my hair to comfort me.

“You don’t know the things I’ve been through, Sam and I should have been dead a long time ago yet we are still here. This run is going to be quick and simple. You have nothing to worry about. Promise.”

Later That Night

Everyone was asleep as I went down to the kitchen to get some water, I saw movement outside through the window. I went to take a better look and saw Daryl sitting on the porch.

“Daryl.” I called out his name as I walked outside. He took a look at me and then looked back out to the open field. I sat down right next to him and crossed my arms to keep warm.

“Shouldn’t you be getting your rest?” I looked to him

“I did.”

The music of crickets was playing in the background.

“Daryl I need to talk about what happened in the barn.” Daryl didn’t say a word. “I don’t know what your thoughts about it are but I’m not going to lie…” I paused for a moment. “I liked it. Before the world went to shit my husband and I were having marriage issues. We haven’t had sex in what seemed like forever. He had erectile dysfunction or so I thought until I caught him in our bed with a whore. You and I… I haven’t been touched like that in such a long time. I felt like a woman again... alive.” Daryl looked to me slightly moving his eyebrow. “But with the dead walking among us I think its best that we just keep it mutual between us. Hunter is my main priority and I can’t let my mind get clouded right now.”

“I agree.” Daryl looked back out to the open field. I thought to myself about the other reason of why I can’t push things with Daryl. If Rick really does like me I don’t want to put these two men at odds. Rick and Daryl have an unspoken bond that I didn’t want to come in between. I don’t want to cause trouble to the group.

“Please be careful tomorrow.” I grabbed his hand and gave it a small squeeze. He looked back to me and I got up and went back into the house.

The Next Day

Everyone gathered up outside helping the group pack the cars up for the run. Dean was helping Hunter helping Dean out which I found to be completely adorable. Dean and Hunter were inseparable. I gave Maggie, Glenn and Sam a hug before they got into the car. I then walked up to Daryl.

“This aint no Kumbaya.” He sullenly looked at me. I didn’t care. I gave him a hug anyways. He resisted at first but then he put his arms around me hugging me back.

“Take care of them.” I looked to Daryl breaking the hug. He nodded and I walked over to Dean. He was holding on to Hunter.

“Mommy, Dean said when he comes back he’s going to teach me how to hunt.” Hunter had a huge smile on his face.

“Is that so?” I smiled and looked to Dean. Dean smiled and nodded no.

“You weren’t supposed to tell her.” Dean looked to Hunter. Hunter started giggling. “I gotta go now buddy.” Hunters smile quickly vanished and he held on tighter to Dean. “Hey its okay, I’ll be back before you know it.” Dean was trying to comfort him. Seeing them two like that was breaking my heart. “Remember what I told you about being strong?” Dean put Hunter down and bent down to his eye level. “You need to take care of your mom, keep her safe. You’re the man of the house, got it?” Hunter nodded and gave him one last hug.

“Hunter, let’s go get a snack.” Carl insisted. Hunter walked away following Carl.

“Dean...”

“Two days.” Dean confirmed to me and he went in for a hug.

“Dean, please be careful.” I muttered as I had my forehead on his chest.

“Always.” Dean cupped his hand on my chin and gently lifted my head to look at him. I held in tears that wanted to burst out as I looked into his  
hypnotic green eyes.

“Two days.” I whispered.

“Two days.” He whispered back.

“Come on, let’s go!” Daryl yelled from inside the car.

Dean slowly released from the hug still looking into my eyes like he didn’t want to go and got into the car. I stood there with a sour taste in my mouth as the car drove off. Something told me two days was a lie.


	7. They're Not Coming Back, Are They?

Later that day when the group left I went to the barn where Daryl left his motorcycle, grabbed a rag and started polishing it.

“Are you okay?” Rick walked into the barn.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I looked to Rick as I put the rag down. He stepped closer to me. For the first time since I’ve known him I felt nervous being around him. His clear blue eyes were studying my every move, he got close to me and I could smell an intoxicating scent running through my nose, his police belt that was holding his gun on the side and the facial hair stubble he was rockin was pure eye candy.

“I, uh, like the, the cologne you’re wearing.” I lightly stuttered trying not to sound like an idiot, but I failed miserably.

“Thanks. It’s Hershel’s.” A small smile grew on his face.

“Rick, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“On the verge of sounding like an idiot I was talking to Glenn yesterday and he kind of mentioned that… well, you like me?”

Rick chuckled and clenched his jaw. “I do like you.” He quickly looked me up and down.

“Oh.”

“Oh?” Rick tilted his head slightly trying to figure me out.

“I uh… Rick I… don’t get me wrong I, I do like you, I find you to be one handsome man but before things go any further Hunter is my main priority and…”

“I understand.”

“You do?”

“Of course. It would probably make Hunter uncomfortable seeing you with another man and it will be uncomfortable for Carl to see me with another woman.”

“Yeah.” I looked down to the floor.

“Hershel and Carl are inside cooking us dinner; maybe we should go inside and help them out.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Three Days Later

I was sitting on the porch looking out to the open field hoping I would see Dean and the group coming back.

“It’s cold outside, you should come in.” Shane insisted as he came outside and sat down next to me.

"You shaved your hair off?" I looked to him

"Yeah, needed a change."

"I liked it better when you had a full head of hair."

"So you like me?" Shane playfully flirted.

I stood quite not saying a word.

“Three days. They’re not back.” I looked to the ground.

“The roads are nasty, probably had to take an alternative route.” Shane excused their absence.

“They’re not coming back are they?” I looked Shane right in the eyes.

“Things never go according to plan but I’m sure they’ll be back.” Shane looked to the ground. “They have Daryl, he’s one tough son of a bitch, Maggie and Glenn, smart as hell and I don’t know Dean and Sam well but they seem tough as nails. A bunch of mindless walkers won’t stop them from coming back.”

“I have to go find them.” I stood up and stepped off the porch.

“Are you crazy?” Shane grabbed my shoulders. “You’re not going out there.”

“What if they are trapped? I can help them.” I tried loosening the grip Shane had on me.

“You are not leaving this farm.” Shane held on tighter to my shoulders.

“What’s going on?” Rick stepped outside of the house with Hershel.

“Stopping her from doing something stupid.” Shane responded to Rick letting me go.

“I’m going to go find them. They could be lost or trapped somewhere. I can’t sit here and do nothing.” I implored.

“Lana.” Rick walked towards me. “You can’t go out there.”

“Rick. I’m not going to sit here and do nothing.”

“Yes you are, I’ll go find them.” Shane retorted.

“Shane you can’t go out there alone.” Hershel argued.

“Hershel’s right let me go with you.” Rick insisted.

“No, I don’t need anyone holding me back. I know the area. I’ll see if I find anything suspicious.” Shane protested.

“Shane…”

“I’m going.” Shane interrupted me with a stern look.

“Be careful brother.” Rick hugged Shane.

“Be back before you know it.” Shane walked away headed to his police car.

The Next Night

I put Hunter and Carl to sleep after I spent the whole day with them and walked down stairs.

“Hey Hershel have you seen Rick?”

“He just got back from hunting, said he was going to be in the barn.”

I sat down next to Hershel. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For giving Dean, Hunter and I a chance to be here. You could have easily turned us away for being strangers but you didn’t. I don’t know what would have happened if we went back out on the road. I got to know you guys and now you guys are like family. Thank you.”

Hershel smiled.

“I thought about it. Was even planning on having you guys sleep in the RV in the back that Glenn brought that day you got here. I’ve got to know you for I don’t know how many days, I lost count but you are like another daughter to me. I’m going to go get some sleep now.”

“I’m gonna go talk to Rick. Good night Hershel.”

I walked out to the barn and saw Rick putting things away.

“Hey Rick.”

Rick turned around and I saw blood on the left side of his upper forehead.

“Rick, what happened?” I walked to him taking a closer look.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it. Just had a little hunting accident.”

“Rick we need to get that cleaned up.” With my right hand I gently grabbed his chin and moved his head slightly to the right to see the cut better.

“It’s fine.” Rick grabbed my hand and held on to it not letting go. I looked at our hands. Rick leaned in slowly and gently put his lips on mine. An innocent three second kiss. His face two inches away from mine still holding my hand.

“Rick, I’m scared.” I whispered with my eyes closed. “They’re not coming back.”

“Lana, it’s okay. They are coming back. You need to think positive.” With his free hand he pushed my hair behind my ears getting a clear look at my face. “Hey, it’s okay.”

I looked into his peaceful blue eyes holding back my tears. “Rick don’t stop kissing me.”

Rick leaned in kissed my lips as both of his hands cupped my face. Our innocent kiss turned into a high school make out. His right hand moved down to my hip and pulled me closer to him. I held on to the back of his neck and grabbed on to his jacket. He slightly licked the bottom of my lip knocking on the door asking for my tongue to come out and play and I gladly opened that door. I tasted his tongue, the inside of his mouth tasted like spearmint and then I made contact with the piece of gum he was chewing, so fresh, warm and wet. Our tongues were fighting over the gum and now he started nibbling my bottom lip. He gently laid me down on a pile of hay and slowly started moving his hand, feeling my body. I moved my lips down to the right side of his neck making him moan.

“Lana, are you comfortable with this.” Rick pulled away looking into my eyes uncertain.

“Rick please don’t stop.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss.

I started taking off his belt and undoing his pants. Rick then slightly moved off of me, took of his jacket and started taking off my pants, slowly kissing and nibbling my neck. I let out a few moans of pleasure as I felt his facial hair tickling my neck which made Rick get more aggressive with his kissing. His lips moved back to mine and his hands explored my legs, asking for entrance. I gripped on to his waist letting him in and then unbuttoned his shirt. I moaned as I felt him inside me, slowly grinding back and fourth. The scent of cologne and sweat was driving me crazy wanting him that much more. The two lanterns giving light to the barn started dimming down making the moment more romantic as Rick and I were passionately making love. It was cold outside but the body heat we were exchanging made it feel like the beginning of summer. Being under Rick made me feel safe and secure. With Daryl it was more animalistic but with Rick there was intimacy, emotion and it made me melt.

After our session we were getting dressed. We were silent but it wasn’t awkward. Rick looked up to me as I put my shirt back on and smiled. I smiled back.

*Bang, Bang, Bang* Rick pulled out his gun and I pulled out my knife. I climbed up the ladder going up to get a view of outside still hearing the banging sound.

“Rick don’t open the door!”


	8. Sleep with the Angels

Rick looked to me daunted.

“Rick we’re trapped.” I looked back down and more walkers were making their way to the barn. Rick climbed up and looked with me.

“Wait, Shane. He’s back.” Rick pointed out looking at Shane drive to the house. “We need a diversion, let them know we’re in here.”

“How about this?” I pulled out a lighter from my jean pocket. Rick grabbed it climbed back down and grabbed a gas can.

“Hey! Shane!” I yelled out hoping he could hear and see me through the dark night.

I climbed down and ran to Rick as he was pouring gasoline all over the floor.

“Go back up and drop this when I tell you to.” Rick handed me the lighter.

“What are you doing?” My heart started racing with panic.

“Trust me.”

I took the lighter and quickly leaned in giving Rick my lips one more time and climbed up the ladder.

Rick ran to the door and opened it wide for all the walkers to come in.

“Hey! Come on!” Rick yelled at the walkers. More than twenty walkers came in after Rick. Rick then climbed the ladder coming up.

“Lana, now!”

I turned on the lighter and dropped it. Fire instantly lit the hay flaming the walkers in the barn. I looked out and saw Shane driving the RV coming towards the barn.

“Hey! Right Here!” Rick yelled out.

Shane Parked the RV to where we could jump down on. Rick jumped down to the roof of the RV and I followed. I lost my balance but Rick helped me keep it together. We climbed down the RV and one of the walkers got close to me. Rick shot the walker in the head.

“Rick, Hershel is getting the kids out of the house, their taking the police car.”Shane yelled from the RV. I started running towards the house.

“Lana!” Rick yelled continuing to fire shots to the walkers that were getting to close.

I didn’t look back. I ran to the house as fast as I could as I dodged walkers.

“Hunter!” I yelled out my lungs.

From afar I saw Hershel open the door to the house but there to many walkers by the door. Hershel tried to close the door going back in the house but he was struggling with the walkers in the way. The door then opened and half a dozen walkers made their way into the house. I was running my legs off trying to go help them; I then heard gun shots coming from inside the house. As I got closer I heard Hunter and Carl yelling. Rick caught up with me as we entered the house at the same time taking out the rest of the walkers inside the house. Rick shut the door and I saw Hershel laying Hunter down on the sofa. I ran to Hunter pushing Hershel away.

I stood there in front of Hunter and suddenly went def. I heard a loud ringing in my ears and felt out of breath. Everyone yelling in the background faded, room spinning.

“Lana!” Shane yelled tugging me back to reality. I didn’t even hear him come in the house. “Lana, it needs to be done.” Shane then aimed his gun to Hunters head. I turned to Shane punched him in the face grabbed his gun and aimed it at him.

“Don’t you fucking dare!” I warned Shane cold hearted.

“Lana.” Rick tried to stop me from shooting Shane asI heard Carl crying the background.

I turned back to Hunter laying on the sofa with blood gushing from his neck gasping for air. I laid my head on his chest not believing what was right in front of my eyes.

“How could you let him get bit!” I turned to Hershel aiming the gun to him. I examined Hershel as he too was bleeding holding on to his arm. I put my gun down realizing he was bit as well.

“Lana!” Shane yelled getting closer to me.

“Shane!” Rick yelled to him getting him away from me.

“We need to leave now!” Shane demanded.

I held on to Hunter now sobbing hysterically. “I’m sorry baby. I’m so sorry.” I got up releasing him from my arms pointed the gun right to his innocent head and closed my eyes. “Sleep with the angels.” I pulled the trigger jerking back a bit and released the gun, dropping to the floor. Rick grabbed me holding me in a tight hug. I stood in his hug stiff not moving a muscle as I stared at the blood splattered on the sofa. Rick let go and handed me a gun.

“We need to move.” Rick grabbed me and opened the door. Shane, Hershel and Rick fired at the walkers piled at the door as we made our way outside.

“Hershel, get the RV, Shane get to the car!” Rick yelled out as gun shots filled the air. I was running but had no idea what I was doing. Still in shock and everything spinning I didn’t know what to do. There were too many walkers.

"Lana, help Hershel get to the RV!” Rick yelled trying to shoot the walkers that started surrounding him and Carl. Rick was holding on to Carl’s arm but Carl got spooked by the swarm of walkers, he took a few steps away from Rick and started running away the opposite direction.

“Carl!” Rick yelled running after Carl but walkers quickly surrounded Rick the second he got distracted with Carl. Carl tripped to the ground. Walkers were quickly surrounding him and I quickly snapped. The pressure, time slowed down the sound of my heartbeat was ringing through my ears as I was shooting every walker surrounding Carl getting nothing but perfect head shots. I ran to Carl helping him up. I then aimed at the walkers surrounding Rick but ran out of ammo. The walkers drew in faster than expected, Hershel was shooting the walkers covering for Rick.

“Dad!” Carl cried out seeing his dad and Hershel surrounded. There were too many and now Carl and I were starting to get surrounded.

Shane pulled up by Carl and I with the police car running over the ones that were about to bite us. I shoved Carl in the car, leaned in and tried to get Shane’s gun. Shane forcefully pulled me in the car and I tried to fight him off.

“Shane, let go! Rick needs help.”

“We're going to help him just get in.”

I got into the car. “Run over and start shooting those son of a bitches!” I yelled to Shane. I then heard Hershel yell. I looked to the crowd of walkers and saw them pulling Hershel apart.

“Hershel!” Rick yelled still fighting off the walkers drawing in on him.

“Rick!” I yelled from the top of my lungs. I was about to open the car door but Shane grabbed his hand cuffs and cuffed my hands together.

“What the fuck! Let me go!” I struggled to get them off, Shane started driving away.

“Stop! You can’t leave my dad!” Carl argued from the back seat.

“Did you see how many walkers there were? There’s no hope. We’d get ourselves killed trying to save him. I’m sorry but he’s done for. We need to get off this farm.”

I yelled and tried everything in my power to stop Shane from driving off the farm but nothing budged. I tried to take him off the wheel but I was forcefully pushed back. I looked back one last time and saw the farm completely on fire and walkers overflowing the land as Shane drove off into the woods.

After a while of driving Shane stopped the car as we entered a small town. It was a complete ghost town.

“We’re running on fumes.” Shane hit the steering wheel pissed off. He then un cuffed me and I punched him in the face.

“What the fuck!” Shane hissed and I went in for another punch but he grabbed my fist mid air and held my arms down. “Calm down!”

“You left! Rick was surrounded and you left you fucking bastard!” I struggled to get out of Shane’s grip.

“Shh, you’re gonna wake Carl.”

I looked to the back seat and Carl was knocked out.

“You left your best friend for dead.”

“I didn't leave him for dead, he was dead.”

“You don’t know that, we didn’t see him die and he was armed. Rick doesn’t go down that easy. He could be alive.” I argued as loud as I can without waking Carl.

“We have Carl to think of now. Our main priority is keeping this kid safe, he needs us. We need to move forward and figure out our next move. I’m not going to let anything happen to you two.” Shane finally let go of my hands. I got out of the car getting air trying to put my head together.

Shane got out of the car and walked towards me.

“Let’s walk to one of these stores and take shelter for right now. It’s not safe to be out in the open like this.” Shane ordered.

I woke up Carl and we started walking past the little stores to see which one looked good to stay in. We saw a little bar and decided to go in there and check to see if it was safe enough to take shelter. It had bars and a sturdy door which looked better than the other stores which had broken windows. Shane pulled out his gun and I pulled out my knife and slowly opened the door with Carl right behind us. We opened the door and the smell of alcohol and dust cluttered my nose. Nothing in sight. We shut the door and continued to look around to make sure it was safe. Shane looked at one half of the bar and I took the other. I went to open the restroom door slowly and suddenly was hit in the back of my head. My vision was blurred and someone grabbed my hair from behind holding me down as the person was dragging me out of the restroom and to the front of the bar.

“Shane!” I yelled as my vision came back. I noticed three men around me with guns.

Quickly one of the men shot Shane in the arm, Shane pulled the trigger at the same time striking his arm as well and the man tackled Shane to the ground and the other man next to me grabbed Carl. The man was beating Shane down as Shane was struggling to take control. Carl was being held down by the man as he was crying and struggling to get free. The man holding me from behind started sniffing my hair. I struggled to get free but he jammed his gun to my stomach forcing me to quiet down.

“What should we do with them?” The man holding down Carl yelled out.

“Kill the man. I was hoping that little boy was a girl. We got no use for him. We got this pretty little one here though. Guess we gotta share this one.” The man holding me down responded to the man and started squeezing my breast with one hand and his other hand holding his gun to my neck. “Don’t try a thing or I’ll shoot you bitch.” The man hit the side of my head with the gun knocking me to the floor.

Shane then took control and got on top of the man and started pounding his face in. Carl got hit in the head knocking him out cold and the man went to help take down Shane.

I yelled out in terror and the man who was holding me started kicking me while I was down on the floor. I was starting to black out and before I lost my vision I saw the door open wide, the figure of a person and the sound of gun shots filling the room.


	9. Back from the Grave

“Lana! Lana! Come one, snap out of it.” A voice echoed in my ears.

I was gathering all my strength to stay conscious. I barely opened my eyes and saw a figure leaning over me feeling their warmth.

“Lana stay awake, please.”

I opened my eyes all the way, the room was spinning.

“Carl, where’s Carl?” I mumbled.

“He’s unconscious. Shane and Glenn are taking care of it.”

My eye sight now focused in on the person before me.

“Dean? Where, where were you?”

“Don’t worry about that, I’m here now.” Dean slowly helped me get back up on my feet. I saw Glenn holding Carl on the floor and Shane checking the three dead bodies taking their weapons and checking for ammo. I leaned on Dean getting my balance on check.

“Daryl? Maggie? Sam? Where are they?” I questioned.

Dean looked to the dirty floor.

“They got captured.”

“What?” I looked to Dean feeling demoralized.

“This group tried to kill us. Tried to take what we had. We barely made it out alive.” Glenn answered still holding Carl’s unconscious body trying to wake him up.

I collapsed to the floor, hearing what they were saying made me weak in the knees.

“Lana!” Dean tried to pick me up once more. I finally got on both feet again.

“Lana…” Dean whispered my name. I pushed him away, walked to the restroom and shut the door. I dropped to the floor leaning my back against the wall crying the saltiest tears I’ve ever cried sulking in the corner. I could hear Shane explaining what happened to Hunter, Hershel and Rick. I heard them talk about things I just didn’t want to think about anymore. After a few minutes Dean walked into the restroom.

“Lana…”

“I don’t want to hear it.” I sat on the floor with my head resting on my knees and my arms wrapped around my legs.

“Lana, I’m sorry for what happened at the farm. Hershel, Rick, Hunter…”

“Rick isn’t dead.”

“What?”

“I’m going back.” I got up and made my way to the restroom door.

“Lana, stop. What do you mean?” Dean held on to my shoulders.

“Rick isn’t dead. He could have made it out.”

“Lana, you can’t go back. I know where Sam, Maggie and Daryl are but we need to be armed and one hundred percent or we wont make it out alive. I need you here to help, not chasing someone who could be dead.”

“Rick isn’t dead.” I stared dead into Deans eyes.

“Okay, he could be alive but he’s a big boy, he’ll find a way. Daryl, Maggie and Sam on the other hand can’t. They are being held hostage and who knows for how long. They need help and I need your help. I talked to Shane. He’s going out to do some hunting so we can have something to eat. Glenn and I don’t have much energy and need food, we can’t fight if we are starving and I’m sure you guys are hungry as well. After that we plan our next move.”

I looked passed Dean and into my reflection in the mirror. Dried blood on my flesh and clothes, the figure of a woman I didn’t recognize. Dean pulled me in his arms for a tight hug. I leaned my head on his shoulder and cried even more.

“I’m so sorry.” Dean hugged tighter.

“Dean… my baby…” I sobbed on his shoulder

“Shh, shh, shh, I know, I know. I am so sorry about Hunter. I really am but you need to keep fighting Lana, please don’t give up.”

After a few minutes of Dean calming me down we walked out of the restroom.

“Lana.” Carl ran giving me a huge hug.

“Carl, are you okay?” I patted him on the back.

“I’m fine.” Carl let go of the hug.

“Alright, its daylight out. I’m gonna get started on the hunting.” Shane started walking out of the bar.

“I’m going with you.” I declared.

“No you’re not.” Shane argued.

“Yes I am.” I grabbed my knife and a gun Shane laid down on the bar table and walked out the door. Shane came after me.

“You need to stay here with Carl and…”

“And what? I’ve had enough of this shit; I’m tired of everyone treating me like I can’t do a damn thing. Dean and Glenn are watching Carl and I’m going to help you with the hunting and that’s final.” I sternly looked to Shane.

“Okay, we’re gonna search this ghost town for food or anything useful. We need to be very careful; we don’t want another bar incident on our hands.” Shane looked to me not liking the idea of it but knew he wouldn’t win the argument.

As we were searching for food Shane started talking about anything that came to his mind to lighten the tension. I wasn’t much in the mood for talking but he kept at it. After what seemed like a few hours of going from store to store in this town I finally started talking a little.

“You see that over there. Looks like a school. We should check it out.” Shane suggested.

We walked over to the school, it looked horrible. Police cars scattered around, gun shots on the walls with blood splattered on the concrete, papers and random objects littered the floors along with dead bodies with bullet holes through their skull that smelled incredibly horrible. We checked the place and found a few cans of food and lots of bottled water.

Shane went outside to check the cars seeing if we could take one. As Shane was working on the police car on the side of the school I check the other cars for anything useful. After that I went to check up on Shane.

“Anything?” I asked as he was trying to hotwire the police car.

“Almost.”

After a few more seconds the car turned on. We both sighed in relief.

“Full tank of gas too.” Shane leaned on the car with a grin on his face. I then put the bag in the back seat. As I dropped the bag in I paused. I wanted to cry again but tried to keep it in. Shane noticed my attitude change and walked over to me.

“Hey.” Shane grabbed my arm to turn me to him. “We’ll get through this.”

Shane then put his arms around me for a hug. I just stood there motionless not reacting to it at all. Shane then leaned his forehead on mine. I started feeling uncomfortable as I stood there in his grasp. He slowly moved in, rested his lips on mine not moving them as if he was waiting for me to do something about it. After a few seconds he slowly kissed me. I didn’t kiss back.

“Lana, I want you. I want you bad.” Shane pulled away, confessing. He then went in for another kiss, his lips touched mine and I pushed him away.

“Shane, don’t do this.” I resisted his so called charm.

“Lana, I really want you, I can take care of you.” Shane then pulled me closer to him trying to lay his lips to mine again but I pushed him back forcefully not wanting anything to do with this. Shane got more aggressive. He put his right arm around my waist and his other hand held down my arm. With my free hand I tried to push him off of me but it still didn’t stop him. Shane's lips moved to my neck, feeling my body up and down as my back was pressed to the police car.

“Shane, stop, let go!” I struggled to get him off of me but nothing budged. I was weak and tired and Shane was just too strong for me.

“Just let me take care of you.” Shane's hand started going up my shirt, feeling my bra as his lips were tackling my neck.

“Let go!” I wailed.

Then the pressure of Shane’s body on mine lifted and he got punched hard in the face. I backed away and stood there in utter shock. I couldn’t believe who was standing before me. Back from the grave.


	10. No Time For Grieving

Standing before Shane punching him in the face, Rick was not letting up. I stood there captivated by Rick. I couldn’t believe he made it off the farm. I have no idea how he did it but I’m relieved and up most grateful he did.

Rick was punching Shane nonstop with Shane's back against the side of the police car. Suddenly Shane dogged one of Ricks punches, pushed him back and charged on top of him, both of them falling to the ground. Shane punched Rick a few times then pulled out his gun.

“Shane stop!” I jumped on Shane’s back trying to get the gun from his hand. Shane got up and flipped me off him but I didn’t let go of his hand that had the gun. We both struggled for control but I was quickly being dominated.

*Boom* A loud gun shot rang through my ears. I jerked back.

“Oh fuck. Lana…” Shane was panic stricken. He ran towards me as I leaned back resting on the police car holding my upper right arm tight.

Rick pulled Shane away from me and started pounding his face in. The gun fell from Shane’s hands as he blocked a few punches and threw a few of his own. They threw each other against the wall and fence of the school beating one another with every single fiber in their body.

Blood was dripping down the bullet hole on my arm as my eyes locked in on the gun. I then heard a groaning noise coming from behind me. I turned my head to the right and saw two walkers slowly walking towards the commotion. I then ran to the gun on the floor, picked it up and fired into one of the walkers dangling head. I pulled the trigger to fire another bullet into the other walker but nothing. Out of bullets.

Rick ran towards me, pulled out his gun and shot the other walker in the forehead.

“Rick!” I yelled warning him Shane was running towards him. Shane tackled him to the ground making Ricks gun slide across the concrete. I looked behind me and saw a few more walkers heading our way. I grabbed the gun, ran over to them as Shane was on top of Rick throwing punches, cocked the gun and aimed to the back of Shane’s head. They stopped throwing their punches, now motionless.

“Get off of him or so help me God I will shoot.” I sternly took matters into my own hands.

Rick and Shane looked over and saw the walkers coming towards us.

“You’re not gonna shoot.” Shane croaked.

“Don’t test me.” I then aimed the gun at one of the walkers that was getting to close and shot it straight through its skull.

“M’ask you somethin. You pull that trigger; you’ll have my blood on your hands. You think you can live with that?” Shane got off Rick and slowly turned his body to face me.

“You left Rick for dead.” I aimed the gun back to his face. “You put your hands on me after I begged you to stop.”

“You’re not a killer.” Shane retorted

I turned and started shooting the few walkers getting close to us. Shane then grabbed my arm to take the gun and I struggled to take control. Rick grabbed Shane but Shane quickly pulled the knife that I had wrapped around my leg with a strap and took Rick to the ground trying to stab him in the heart.

“Rick!” I yelled in aghast as I saw the walkers getting closer.

“Lana, get out of here!” Rick struggled as his bare hands leaked blood holding on to the blade of the knife pushing it away from his chest.

I was shooting the walkers, then ran out of bullets. Two walkers were left and they both tackled me to the ground. One of the walkers was on top of the other walker putting pressure that I was trying to escape. With one hand I was pushing the walker’s neck away from my face and my other hand was pushing its dirty chest. I could hear Rick yelling in the background. I looked to my side looking for anything and saw a pencil. Still holding on to the walker’s neck I let go of the walker’s chest reaching for the pencil. The walkers face got even closer to mine as a piece of its skin peeled off and landed on my chin. I finally got the pencil and stabbed it with everything I had. The walker collapsed on me and I let out a yell of disgust, frustration and horror as I still had another live walker trying to get me on top of the dead one. I was pushing its neck away from me which was more difficult with the dead walker lying on top of me.

I looked over to Rick and Shane hoping one of them would come to the rescue. Shane and Rick were rolling all over the floor struggling for domination and the knife. Rick then got on top of Shane and positioned the knife to Shane’s heart.

I then looked back to the walker on top of me. I started punching the rotting walker in the face. After several punches my fist dented the skull so I kept punching as fast as I could. I then pushed the walker off of me and slammed its head to the ground. The skull splattered like and egg thrown to the wall. I laid there on the floor next to the walkers recapturing my breath. I moved my head to see what was going on. Rick slowly over powered Shane pushing the knife through his heart.

“You did this to us! This was you not me!” Rick yelled out. “Not me!”

Shane started coughing up blood, gasping for air as Rick was shaking in trauma. I laid there in this poignant moment. Rick mournfully held on to him as Shane took in his last shallow breath.

“No!” Rick got up grieving. “No!”

I slowly got up and walked over to the police car and pulled out Shane’s other gun that he left on the drivers seat. Rick then turned his back to Shane’s dead body. We both stood in silence looking at each other. He just killed his best friend, I felt his pain. I saw walkers from outside of the school fence making their way over to us.

Then all of a sudden Shane’s dead body slowly got up and started limping over to Rick. I aimed my gun to Shane’s bloody face as his mouth opened showing his bloody teeth.

“Lana?” Rick looked to me unease.

I pulled the trigger getting Shane in the head. Rick turned around and saw his dead again body right in front of him. Rick looked around seeing the walkers surrounding the school outside of the fence.

“We need to get out of here.”

“The first bar you see when you come into this town from the farm. Carl, Glenn and Dean are there.” I informed Rick as we loaded our guns.

Rick and I went into the police car. Rick then drove through the fence and out to the road. There were too many walkers and much more up ahead that the dead bodies in front of the car were slowing us down. Rick then grabbed the walkie talkie that was in the police car and took out the one he had on his police belt. He turned them on checking to see if they work.

“Take this.” He handed me a walkie talkie. “We’re not going to make it in the car, we’re gonna make a run for it, if by any chance we get separated we will stay in contact. Stay close, make every bullet count.” Rick specified.

We lowered down the windows and shot the walkers that were by the side of the car. We then got out and started running past the dead. Rick and I stood close to each other covering one another. One of the walkers came to close to Rick making him jolt back and trip on a pothole.

“Rick!” I yelled shooting the walkers that were drawing in on him. I quickly reloaded when I ran out of bullets backing up from the walkers ready to bite down on me.

“Lana, go!”

“I’m not leaving you!” I argued with his demand.

“I got it! Go!”

“Rick!” I started shooting again but there were just too many walkers spreading Rick and I apart.

I couldn’t see Rick anymore as I was fighting of walkers trying not to get bit or scratched. The herd of walkers didn’t let me go back to the bar or to help Rick, my only clear opening was to go through the woods. I ran straight in and looked back to see if I could spot any sign of Rick. I heard gun shots and that was my sign that he was still alive.

I kept running from the walkers that were after me. I quickly turned my head to see how many were chasing me and in that quick second I tripped over a long thick root of a tree and banged my head against a rock. I laid there on my stomach feeling the warmth of my blood running down my left eye. I heard the leaves crunching on the ground. I barely had the energy to slightly pick up my head to see what was right in front of me. The hit to my head and the blood running down my eye blurred my vision. I looked up, trees spinning everywhere and a tall broad figure stood before me. My head fell back to the ground and I passed out.


	11. Welcome to Woodbury

I slowly opened my eyes and found myself in a small, dim lit room alone. I slowly ached up, feeling the pain searing through my entire body and sat up on the small bed with white sheets. I touched my upper right arm where I was shot then looked down at my arm to discover that it has been bandaged up. I touched the left side of my upper forehead to discover that the wound was also bandaged. The door opened.

"Good, you're finally awake." A tall man with his sleeves rolled up walked into the room with two other men behind him.

"Where am I?" I twitched back not wanting him to get close to me.

"Safe. You passed out in the woods. You were about to be attacked so I brought you here."

"Where is here?" I looked to the man puzzled.

"Follow me." The man walked out of the room. I got up and followed, cautiously looking at the two other men following behind me. I looked around and found myself in a two story house. We walked out of the house and into the dark night.

"Welcome to Woodbury." The man turned to me.

"Okay, now let me go." I glared to the man.

"Sure, I'll give ya a gun, extra amo, some food, keys to a vehicle if you want, send you on your way, no hard feelings but we don't open the gates past dusk, brings to much attention. "

"We?" I looked to him puzzled once again.

"Survivors."

"What survivors?"

"Come with me." The man said walking off the porch of the house. "We have seventy three survivors here. We tightly secured part of the town making it safe. No walkers come in."

We started walking towards a couple of guys with machine guns guarding the gate that had pilled up tires and trucks blocking the walkers out of Woodbury.

"You guys military?" I looked in awe.

"Hardly, just self trained."

"That's heavy artillery you guys are packing."

"Some men arrive with guns and the rest were scavenged over time."

"Got us some bitters Governor." A man said getting his machine gun ready.

"Governor? They call you that?" I looked to him.

"Some nicknames stick whether you want it to or not."

"Buzz is a nickname, Governor is a title. There's a difference." I said looking at the two men shooting the walkers outside of the fence.

"Let me show you to your room." The Governor started walking to one of the houses.

We walked into another two story house with the two same men following behind.

"You'll be comfortable in here." He said opening the door to a room. "Not a luxury hotel but there's hot water, water is limited so keep it short. We got food, water, fresh clothes. Make yourself at home, your safe here. Now I know you got a lot more questions but I got work to do. My man right here will be out in the hallway to answer any questions. I'll see you tomorrow."

I looked around in amazement. This was paradise, there were bottles of water and a fruit basket on the table. I walked over to the bed and saw my wallet and walkie talkie.

"You should stay here awhile, you don't look a hundred percent to go out on your own, you'll be cared for here. Who knows, you might even like what you see." The Governor suggested as he closed the door to my room.

I turned on the walkie talkie hoping Rick was on the other side. After several minutes of trying I gave up for the night. I opened my wallet and pulled out a picture. It was a picture taken last year of Matt, Hunter and I at a Christmas party. We looked so happy. That night was a beautiful memory I hold close to my heart. I then touched the necklace I took from Crystal that was around my neck and silently cried myself to sleep.

The Next Day

The Governor showed me around the little town of Woodbury. There were people walking around the streets. Actual happy people. Children playing tag, a dog running around with a Frisbee in his mouth and well dressed adults having random conversations like the world never ended. The Governor was asking a few questions getting to know who I was.

"Were you in a group."

"No." I lied not wanting him to know anything until I knew him better.

"You lasted this long all alone?" He looked to me not believing my answer.

"I was in a group but a herd split us up."

"Did you have a camp or a place to stay?"

"We did but like I said a herd came through and destroyed everything." I looked down not wanting to talk about it.

"I'm sorry." The Governor looked to me showing sympathy in his eyes.

We walked passed a place that looked like an auto shop.

"What's in there?" I looked at the shop.

"We keep our weapons in there." The Governor replied still walking.

I stopped following him and tilted my head to see if I could see anything through the garage door that was halfway open. I caught a glimpse of a crossbow. I examined it as it looked pretty familiar to me. I then saw small initials that said D.D and a small dent under it. My heart started racing. That was Daryl's crossbow and I know I wasn't mistaking, I know exactly how Daryl's crossbow looked, I have a great memory. Right next to Daryl's crossbow was a back pack that looked exactly like Sam's back pack.

"Lana, this way." The Governor pointed out wanting me to keep following him. I walked beside him.

"Besides me do you ever find any other survivors?" I looked to him studying his facial expressions.

"After a week since the bitters came we haven't found any more. That is until I found you."

"I call them walkers."

"Well there is no correct term for the walking dead. Call them whatever you like."

"I'm not feeling to well. I'm gonna go lye down. I excused myself walking away from him heading back to my room. I felt his eyes on me as I was walking away. Halfway to my room I looked back. I didn't see The Governor anymore so I walked back to the auto shop. I got as close as I could without being seen by the people inside.

"That guy sure did have one top of the notch crossbow." One of the men said picking up the crossbow and started polishing it.

"That group had a lot of good stuff we needed." Another man replied.

I then felt something hit me in the head. I turned to look and saw a ball fall to the ground. A child ran up and grabbed it. I looked back into the shop but the two guys were gone along with the crossbow and back pack.

I went back into my room and grabbed the walkie talkie. I left it on hoping Rick was there. Nothing, again. I left it on for an hour hoping to hear his voice. I was about to turn it off losing hope but I tried one more time.

"Rick, please answer. Are you there?" I talked into the walkie talkie.

"Lana. Is that you? Are you okay? Where are you?" I heard Ricks voice.

"Rick." I sighed in relief. "I'm so glad you're alive. Did you find Carl?"

"Yes, Dean and Glenn found me. Where are you?"

"Apparently not that far from you since we're communicating with each other through the walkie talkies. A man found me, took me here to a place called Woodbury."

"Lana..." Rick cut off like if someone took the walkie talkie away from him.

"Woodbury?" It was Dean's voice I was hearing now, his voice sounded disturbed and now I knew for sure I was in trouble.


	12. Midnight

“Dean…” I flustered.

“Woodbury was the place we passed by on our run. That’s where Sam, Daryl and Maggie got captured. Lana, you need to get out of there.”

“Dean, I’m on the inside. I can try to find them.”

“No! Lana, you need to get out of there.”

“And if they are still alive? Dean I can help you guys get in.”

“It’s too dangerous, you need to leave.”

“Let me talk to Rick.” I demanded.

“Lana…”

“There’s no reasoning with you Dean and I don’t know how long this battery is going to last so let me talk to Rick.”

“Lana.” I heard Rick unsteadily say my name.

“I’m going to figure out if they're alive. Woodbury is guarded but if you go west from The National Security Bank where the gate and security starts there's an opening behind the library I’m pretty sure you can get through. It’s a wooden gate that can be easily broken down. Rick, I saw Daryl’s crossbow and Sam’s bag. They’re here; I just need to find out if they’re alive. The man who runs this place calls himself The Governor and he keeps insisting that I stay. I’m going to scout the place, see if there are any more openings you guys can sneak through.” I informed Rick.

“Lana…”

“Rick, I can do this, it’s all I got left.” I interrupted him.

Silence now took over the walkie talkie. I sat there waiting for a response from him.

“Be careful.” Rick beseeched.

“I can’t lose anyone else Rick.” Another silence hit us both. “The Governor has everyone stay indoors after dusk besides the guards at the gates. I’ll sneak out at midnight; meet you by the back of the library where I told you. I’ll turn on the walkie talkie at eight thirty and update you if things change. They are heavily armed so watch yourselves.”

“We will. Please, be careful Lana.” Rick accepted.

The door opened and I quickly turned off the walkie talkie putting it under my pillow.

“They’re alive.” A man with glasses stated.

“What?” I looked to him timidly as he walked into my room and closed the door.

“Your friends, their alive but they won’t be for long.” He walked closer to me. I got up from my bed and took a few steps back.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, who are you?”

“Milton.” He then handed me a pocket knife. I looked at him and with caution took it from his hand. “I know what The Governor does. He has them locked up in the auto shop, doing unimaginable things to them.”

“Why are you telling me this? Are you going to rat me out?” I glared at Milton.

“Because I’m starting to question his motives. I’ve known him for a long time but he’s become power hungry. Your friends look like good people and no, I won’t tell him what I heard you talking about on the walkie talkie. The only easy spot to get in and out is the fence behind the library like you said. Everything else is secured tight.”

“You can help me get inside the auto shop then?” I stepped closer to him.

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?” I questioned.

“If The Governor finds out I’m helping you he’ll…”

“Come with us. You don’t have to stay here. Living in fear of a man is no way to live.”

“Living out in the open with fear of being eaten alive is no way to live. He takes care of me here and I’m not a fighter. I don’t have what it takes to live outside these walls. If you can get inside the auto shop you should find the supplies your friends had, weapons mostly but it’s no use in going in there without the keys to unlock the chains your friends are tied to.”

“Where are the keys?” I tilted my head slightly.

“The Governor holds on to them in his pocket.”

“Well that should be easy to get to.” I bitterly and sarcastically muttered.

After I interrogated Milton for as much information he would spill I went outside to find The Governor.

“There you are.” The Governor excused himself from talking to two men and walked over to me. “Feeling better?”

“I could use a drink.” I sighed holding in my anger.

“Come with me, I got just the thing.” We walked into a two story house and into the kitchen.

“You stay here?” I looked to him.

“Yes.” The Governor answered getting two glasses out and a bottle of Bourbon.

“So are you ever going to tell me your name?” I took a sip of the Bourbon he handed me.

“I never tell.” He said as he put down his glass.

We spent almost an hour in his house. I was trying to get him to drink as much as I could hoping maybe he would let his guard down but nothing. Once he started feeling buzzed he stopped.

“I have work to do. We should continue this later tonight.” The Governor took a few steps closer to me.

It took a lot out of me to not roll my eyes at him. “Sure.”

Eight Forty Six P.M.

I was in my room after I walked all of Woodbury trying to find a weapon and scouting out how to get into the auto shop. I couldn’t find anything. No one had weapons lying around or on them at all except the guards. I turned on my walkie talkie hoping Rick would turn his on. Sixteen minutes has passed from the time I told Rick I would turn mine on.

“Lana, are you there?” I heard Ricks voice through the walkie talkie.

“Rick, they’re alive but we don’t have much time. They are being held in an auto shop tied down in chains. The Governor has the keys, I’m gonna try to get them.”

“Lana don’t.”

“What choice do I have Rick? We need the keys to get them out. You got a better idea?" 

"There has to be another way." Rick countered, obviously not wanting me to do it.

"I can do this. You guys will sneak into Woodbury and we’ll get inside the auto shop and get them out of here before things turn to hell.”

“You’re not doing that!” I now heard Dean’s voice order.

“Your brother is in there Dean; you can’t protect me from everything.” I then turned off the walkie talkie before I heard Dean counter my argument.

I walked over to The Governors house. He stepped outside of his house just as I was about to climb up the steps to his porch.

“There you are. I was about to go get you.” The Governor grabbed my right hand and led me inside. I could win an Oscar for all the acting I was pulling off. I just wanted to rip his head off.

We started drinking again and talking about the things we use to do before shit hit the fan.

“We should continue this conversation upstairs.” The Governor was now two inches away from my face.

“Okay.” I looked into his eyes quickly planning my next move.

We walked upstairs into his bedroom.

“Excuse me for just a moment.” He walked into the restroom. I checked what time it was. 11:43 p.m. I quickly looked around his room to find a weapon. It was another bust. I did find a pen on his nightstand. I grabbed it and put it in my back pocket. He was pretty buzzed so maybe hopefully he won’t be suspicious of anything.

He walked out of the restroom and towards me not saying a word. He put his hand around my cheek, stroking my hair back. I looked down at the holster he was wearing. He had a gun and knife attached to it. If I could get him to take that off I can make my move. He leaned in for a kiss. The strong taste of Bourbon as we kissed ran up my nose as his hands wrapped around my waist. He pushed me onto his bed, his body on top of mine with his right hand on my waist and his left hand on the bed, holding himself up.

“Philip.” The Governor said pulling way from our kiss.

“What?” Wondering what he was talking about.

“My names Philip.”

“I thought you never tell.”

“Never say never.” He purred gazing down at my body and back to my eyes.

He then removed his jacket and unbuckled his belt dropping it to the floor. I smiled at him, not because I was enjoying it but because now I have him right where I want him. I then took control and got on top of The Governor.

“I want to be on top.” I said seductively, anxious to get this over with. He smiled with pleasure. I kissed his lips and with my right hand I slowly pulled the pocket knife Milton gave me from my back pocket deciding what part of the face I should stab him in.


	13. Rescue

I held the pocket knife in my hand and pushed the button, exposing the blade. The Governor heard the knife click open and pushed me off of him as I went in for the attack. I slashed his upper arm open as I fell to the ground. I landed right next to his belt. I quickly reached over to the gun but he abruptly kicked my hand making the gun slide across the bedroom. His right foot stepped on my right wrist with mass pressure, making my grip on the pocket knife loosen. He bent over and grabbed my hair pulling me up as he threw the knife in anger across the room. I flew back with the velocity of the punch he delivered right to my nose. My head started spinning as I tried not to fall to the ground.

"You little bitch." The Governor pulled my hair and lifted my head to look at him. With his index and middle finger he pierced right through the bullet wound I had on my upper arm making the wound open wider breaking through skin and muscle. I shrieked in pain as I leaned forward onto The Governors chest.

He pushed me off of him and I quickly kneed him in the gut. He let go of me letting out a loud groan. I ran over to the gun but he grabbed me from behind and swung me against the wall, my head bounced off the wall as his hands were around my neck. I had my hands around his hands trying to loosen the grip as I was gasping for air. I wasn't going to let myself black out, I kneed him again but right in the family jewels. He hollered in pain as he crouched down holding himself. I grabbed the gun and aimed it right to his face.

"Pull the trigger." The Governor threatened with demand.

I already knew as he said those words that gun was not loaded. I pulled the trigger anyways.

*Click* No bullets.

The Governor then charged after me and I quickly pistol whipped him in the face making him fall to the ground pulling me down with him. I hit him again with the gun right in the nose. He let go of me and I quickly got up and ran to the knife that was attached to his belt but didn't make it far as he grabbed my foot making me fall flat on my face. He then rolled me over to my back, got on top of me and grabbed my face forcing me to look at him.

"You're going to wish you were dead after I'm done with you." The Governor started punching me in the face.

I kicked, hit, and scratched my way out of it but nothing worked, his strength was over powering me. I then bit his wrist as hard as I could. He yelled in pain, I wasn't letting go as I bit down even harder. His other hand roughly pushed down my nose getting me to open my mouth. I released gasping in air with the taste of his blood and skin that broke off his wrist.

I started hearing gun shots outside and I quickly knew that it had to be Rick, Dean, and Glenn. I reached to my back pocket as fast as I could with my left hand to get the pen I had taken off his night stand. He then head butted me right in the nose. I let out the biggest scream of pain as I now tasted my own blood. He put his hands around my neck again choking me out of breath. I then had the pen in hand and with the rest of the strength I had left stabbed The Governor in his right eye.

The Governor jerked back and screeched in agony. I rolled over to him and quickly got into his pocket pulling out the keys as he was distracted with his eye. I painfully crawled to the knife and hurriedly tried to pick myself up still gasping in air. I heard the sound of a gun loading. I turned around and saw that The Governor was loading his gun with the pen still stuck in his eye. I ran out of the room as quickly as I could and out into the cold winter air.

I saw men running out in the middle of the streets so I quickly made my way to the auto shop hoping the guys were already in there. Someone suddenly grabbed me from behind putting me in a choke hold and within seconds the hold released itself off of me. I looked back and let out the biggest sigh of my life.

"We need to move." Dean held on to me taking me behind a bush for cover. "What happened to you?" He gently touched my bloody bruised face with concern.

"I got the keys." I pulled them out dangling them right in his face.

"Lana…" Dean closed his eyes in agony.

"Dean, don't start. I got the keys now let's go!" I interrupted.

Dean grabbed the keys, handed me a gun, grabbed my hand and lead me to the auto shop.

"Rick, Glenn." Dean loudly whispered. We walked behind the auto shop and saw Rick and Glenn appear from the side of a dumpster.

"Lana." Rick looked to me examining my wounds.

"We got the keys." Dean tossed them to Rick.

"There are probably guards in there so we gotta watch our backs." I warned the group.

"You're not going in." Dean ordered.

"Dean!" I looked to him in disbelief, angry at the fact that he was still holding me back from trying to help out.

"No time for this, let's go!" Glenn got between us. Rick unlocked the door and we slowly went in with our guns ready to shoot. We saw no one. We headed towards the back and came across another door. With caution Rick slowly opened the door. A man who's back was facing us turned around aiming his gun to us but quickly fell to the floor as Glenn took him out with one shot to the head.

"Maggie!" Glenn ran in seeing Maggie tied to a chair.

Dean ran after Sam and Rick ran over to Daryl unlocking each of their chains releasing them. Daryl, Sam and Maggie were beaten pretty badly; they didn't seem to have a lot of strength left in them. We quickly scouted the area for weapons and took what we could. We exited the shop and ran behind some bushes taking cover trying to get to the other side where the library is at to get out of Woodbury. Glenn was holding on to Maggie, Dean and I were holding on to Sam and Rick was holding on to Daryl. Rick, Glenn and Dean started shooting from behind the bush to the guards who were getting close.

"Let's go!" Dean cautioned.

We all went out in the open heading to the back of the library. More gun shots blared. Two guards from afar saw us in the open and started shooting. Rick and Dean started shooting back, running at the same time.

"Maggie!" Glenn cried out.

I looked back to see Glenn holding Maggie's lifeless body close to his. One of the guards shot her in the head. My heart died with his. Rick ran to the middle of the street trying to get Glenn out of harm's way as Dean was covering for them. I held on to Daryl, he was trying to keep his balance as I examined the fresh blood on his shirt and a few cuts on his face that showed he was recently beaten before we saved them. Dean ran helping Rick drag Glenn out of harm's way. Glenn emotionally resisted but was physically drawn away realizing there was nothing left. No time for mourning just running.

We roughly managed to get out of Woodbury, walking quite a distance into the woods. Rick and Dean killed a few walkers that were near as we headed towards the two vehicles that Carl was guarding for his own protection.

"Dad!" Carl ran towards Rick running him down with a hug of relief.

Rick, Dean and I helped Daryl and Sam into the car. We then heard leaves brushing through the ground and twigs breaking in two. Glenn raised his gun at what was coming at us. The figure of what we thought was a walker.

"Don't shot." A man's voice alerted us.


	14. Suicide Mission

We all stared at the figure appearing before us.

"Please, don't shot." The man slowly walked towards us with his hands in the air surrendering. I stood there silent. It was Milton.

"Stop there, don't move! Who are you?" Rick questioned taking three steps forward aiming his gun to him.

"Milton." I informed the group.

Dean glanced back and forth between Milton and I befuddled.

"The Governor…"

"You're with The Governor?" Glenn interrupted Milton, hastily grabbing him by the shirt pushing him against a tree holding him down.

"Glenn!" I ran over to him.

"I'll kill you!" Glenn roared.

"The Governor… he's still in Woodbury destroying everything." Milton froze in Glenn's grip. "He will be coming after all of us if we don't leave now."

"We?" Glenn questioned putting more pressure on Milton.

"Glenn." Rick got close trying to get Glenn to let him go.

"He and his people are the reason why we're in this mess. Maggie is dead because of him!" Glenn put his gun to Milton's head.

"It wasn't me and the survivors, it was The Governor. He made his top men do it. I wanted out but couldn't leave. Lana offered me to come with her."

I looked to the floor shaking my head slightly, wanting all of this to be over.

"You didn't have anything to do with it? You were innocent? Looking for a way out?" Glenn furiously countered. "Well so was our group. Maggie was innocent, looking for a way out!"

*Boom* the sound of the gun shot echoed throughout the woods.

I stood there staring at the ground never giving it a second look as Milton's body slid down the tree and onto the ground. Silence hit everyone hard as we were silently figuring out our next move. A walker appeared out of the woods. Rick went over and stabbed it in the head. The shuffling of more walkers were upon us. Glenn suddenly started walking back into the woods.

"Glenn!" Rick yelled out running after him.

"Stay with Carl. Keep them safe." Dean grabbed Ricks shoulder looking at the walkers heading towards us. "I'll go after him." Dean then disappeared into the dark woods. Rick started stabbing walkers that appeared out of the woods saving his ammo for when he really needed it. I saw Daryl slowly getting out of the car with a knife in hand trying to back up Rick. Carl stood by the car with his gun ready to shoot if it became too crowded with walkers.

"I gotta go help them." I loaded my gun.

"Dean is handling it." Rick grabbed my hand that was holding on to the gun.

"Glenn more than likely is heading back to Woodbury. I know Woodbury better than they do."

Ricks face said stay but his hand let go of mine. I stared into his eyes for another second before I turned my back to Rick running after Glenn and Dean.

I ran through the woods trying to catch up with them. I fell to the ground tripping over a rock; my jeans ripped making me scrap my knee on the hard dirt floor. I slowly got up sucking in the stinging pain. I heard a loud moan; I turned around and was face to face with a walker.

"Fuck!" I stabbed it in the head with my knife and kept running.

I got to the gates and stood there in distress. The gate was wide open, walkers roamed free on the streets of Woodbury. With the anxiety building up I wanted to turn around and run away but my feet slowly started walking in, determined to not leave without Dean and Glenn. I walked through the gate and a walker took notice. It started pacing toward me. I stabbed it in the face and started running through walkers.

*Boom, Boom, Boom* Walkers started falling around me. I looked around trying to figure out where the gun shots came from.

"Lana!" Dean yelled out appearing from behind a building. I ran to Dean as he covered me from the walkers that were near.

"Where's Glenn?" I panted.

"I lost him." Dean grabbed my hand and ran into the building closing the door shut. We quickly looked around to see if we were in the clear. Nothing.

I leaned my back to the wall taking a breather, cold and tired as hell.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for cardio, what does it look like. I'm here to help!" I looked into Dean's eyes. Everything I do seem to exasperate him.

"You should have stayed with Rick, it's too…"

"Dangerous?" I cut him off. "Dean, I'm capable of so much. Do you not have faith in me?"

"Damn it Lana! I didn't want you here!"

"Well to fuckin' bad Dean, I'm here. Please, let's continue to argue this out with a bunch of walkers roaming outside the door and Glenn missing because this argument is just so damn important!"

Dean grabbed my shoulder and pulled me into his arms. I was dumbfounded as he tightly had his arms wrapped around me in a hug.

"You're so stupid." He gently leaned his lips on my forehead for a slow kiss.

"What?" I looked up to him curiously.

"Lana." He sighed closing his eyes. "I'm hard on you because I don't want you to get hurt." I silently looked down to his chest. "You, Hunter and Sam are all I care about. We already lost Hunter… I'm sorry but I can't lose one more person. I can't lose you."

Dean cupped my face with his right hand; I looked into his green eyes with tears running down my cheeks. He leaned in for a kiss. So gentle and soft, made me forget about everything outside the door for a moment. My heart broke in two, how could I be so blind to not see what Dean felt. Wallowing in my own prison my lips moved with Deans.

I pulled away from the kiss leaning my forehead on Deans, sniffling, trying hard to not blabber like a baby.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered.

"I just want you to know, that when I picture myself happy, it's with you." Dean cupped both his hands on my cheek looking into my eyes. "I love you."

Those three words pierced into me like a bullet as I wept into his hands. His lips gently and slowly kissed mine again, calming me down. My hands finally responded as I held on to the back of his neck with one hand and the other touching his warm cheek. His lips had all the magic in the world, made me believe there was still a glimmer of hope still left.

*Boom, Boom, Boom*

Dean released his lips from mine as we listened to the gun shots from outside. Dean looked out the window and saw Glenn in a building across from us shooting at the walkers on the street.

"Walkers are going to start trapping Glenn in if we don't do something now." Dean grabbed his gun and stared reloading. He grabbed my gun and gave me his handing over more bullets to go with it. I stood there freezing. He then took off his jacket and put it over me to keep me warm.

"We go out guns blazing." He seized one last opportunity, Dean put out his right hand asking for mine. I laid my hand on top of his palm as he kissed the top of my hand holding on tight. Giving out the longest blink of my life I somewhat knew it was suicide stepping out the door.

We took in a deep breath as he opened the door. There had to be more than fifty walkers roaming the streets within our vision. We started shooting trying to make our way to Glenn with Deans fingers still interlocked with mine.

"Glenn!" Dean called out.

I saw Glenn focusing his attention to us. He got out of the building he was in and started fighting off walkers making his way towards us. Dean's hand let go of mine pushing and shooting walkers that quickly drew in. I shot a walker two inches away from me and was about to shot another but ran out of bullets. A walker close to biting my face went down with a bullet through the skull. Glenn's perfect aim saved my life. I looked over to Dean and noticed he was in trouble. Glenn started covering for him as I reloaded and started shooting.

"There are too many! Run back into the building." Glenn ordered as we got Dean away from the walkers.

We started running back to the building Glenn was in. A small crowd of walkers quickly spilt Dean and I apart as they were coming after me. Dean charged through the small crowd penetrating bullets into their skulls, fighting and pushing his way through. One inch away from being bitten Dean pushed me with everything he had towards Glenn getting me out of the crowd as he was now trapped in.

"Dean!" I cried out as Glenn and I were shooting to get Dean out of harms way.

"Fuck!" Dean groaned as he managed to get out of the crowd.

We then ran into the building shutting the door but failed. A walker got to close and its head blocked the door from closing. Dean opened the door quickly and slammed it again busting open the walkers head splattering all over the door and floor. Dean quickly locked the door and leaned his right shoulder to the wall with his left hand holding on to his shoulder. I paced around the room shaking.

"We're trapped." Glenn stated.

I looked over to Dean as he started coughing. Still leaning on the wall with his head down.

"Dean." I walked towards him getting a better look at him. Glenn flashed his flash light at him revealing blood on Dean's left hand that was holding on to his shoulder.

I moved his left hand and stood there panic stricken. "Dean..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope who ever is reading this is liking it so far. Haven't updated in a while but I'll try to change that.


	15. Through Agony and Death

"Fuck." Glenn mumbled to himself walking away from Dean.

"Just stay away." Dean coughed backing away from me.

I looked to him timorously, trying to process what just happened. "Damn it!" I suddenly was engulfed in anger, throwing a chair across the room.

"Lana…"

"You're dead because of me! It should have been me." I cut Dean off.

"Don't say that." He groaned as he walked to me. "This isn't your fault."

I looked at his shoulder, praying that I could change back time to let myself get bitten instead of him.

"Walkers are pilling out the door. You and Glenn need to find a way out through the back, get out of here." Dean leaned his back to the wall.

"What was that?" Glenn shushed us. We heard something rummaging in the back. I didn't bother my time with the noise. Glenn can handle the noise my mind was focused on Dean.

I wrapped my arms around Dean's neck holding on to him with our foreheads touching as he wrapped his left arm around my waist.

"You need to get out of here." Dean whispered.

I shook my head not wanting to let go. "There has to be a way."

"You know there's not."

*Boom, Boom* Gun shots blared.

"Get down!" Glenn warned.

The Governor appeared out of the dark shooting at us. Dean quickly pushed me to the floor. My elbow broke my fall and the gun shots stopped. I peaked at The Governor and saw that he ran out of bullets and ran out of the room. Glenn quickly ran after him not wanting him to get away.

I quickly got up and looked back to Dean. My heart dropped fifty feet. Dean started coughing up blood with two bullet holes through Dean's chest and stomach, bleeding out as he was lying on the floor.

"Dean!" I ran and held him in my arms. "Dean, Dean please don't leave me." I cried out begging. "I can't do this alone."

Dean was still coughing trying to get words out. "I… I…" His eyes were slowly closing.

"Dean, I love you… I love you." I leaned my forehead to his one last time and slowly pulled out his gun. I kissed his forehead like he always did to me and aimed the gun to his head as I still held Dean in my arms. "Dean." I sniffed. "I love you."

*Boom*

My head leaned back, tears rolling down the side of my face with Dean's lifeless body in my arms. I felt the presence of Glenn in the room. I gently laid Dean's body down and got up.

"Lana." Glenn whispered.

"Where's The Governor?" I looked past Glenn not making contact what so ever.

"I lost him."

I then walked passed Glenn and out the back door into the cold air. I walked passed a few walkers that were coming after me. I paid no attention to them what so ever. Walkers were the least of my problems right now.

"Lana!" I heard Glenn yell out.

A walker got to close to me and I quickly stabbed it in the face with no emotion to it and kept walking. I wasn't scared, I wasn't crying anymore and I didn't care if they were around me. I heard a car from a distance and from the corner of my eye I knew it was Rick. I kept walking, heading to the auto shop. I was on a mission, I didn't know what it was but I was pissed. Something inside me snapped. I walked into the auto shop and fixated on a lighter that was on a table next to a crossbow, Daryl's crossbow. I looked around and found a gas can. I grabbed the three items and walked out heading to The Governors house.

"Lana!" I heard Rick yell out through the car. "We need to go!"

I kept walking. I finally got to The Governors house and started spilling gasoline all around the place. Two walkers got near so I threw gasoline at them as well. I grabbed the lighter turned it on and threw it to the ground. Within a blink of an eye fire lit up the place, I then kicked the two walkers into the burning house. I stood there looking at the fire consume everything. I knew The Governor wasn't in there but I hoped he was. I was hoping he was in there burning to hell. I heard groaning and footsteps behind my back but I didn't bother looking; if I die it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

*Boom* A gun shot rang in my ear.

"Let's go!" Glenn grabbed me from behind and dragged me to the back seat of the car pushing me in.

I was in the car with Glenn and Sam in the front seat. Rick, Daryl and Carl were in the other car driving ahead of us. I stood still, not moving a muscle, not saying a word the whole car ride to where ever it was we were heading.

I felt the car stop and opened my eyes to see that we stopped by a cabin in the woods. I don't know how long I've been passed out in the back seat for but it was day light out. Glenn walked out of the car to talk to Rick leaving Sam and I alone.

"How did he die?" Sam questioned looking out the window.

"He got bit. The Governor snuck by us and shot him in the chest. I had to end it." I looked down to my feet.

Sam stood quiet. A strong silence filled the car. Glenn opened the driver's door.

"Rick and I are going in the cabin, check if it's safe to stay here for a bit. They ran out of gas and we have to stop and rest." Glenn then grabbed his gun and closed the car door heading in the cabin with Rick. I saw Daryl and Carl getting out of the car looking around the place.

I glanced at the back of Sam's head from the back seat. I know exactly what he's feeling.

Carl came and opened the door to the back seat. "You guys should come out and get some fresh air."

Sam ignored him. I got out of the car and saw Rick and Glenn walk out the cabin.

"We're good." Glenn announced. Everyone started unpacking their bags from the car and into the cabin. I looked around the area; it was beautiful, almost as if it was untouched by all the horror. I reached in the back seat grabbing the crossbow. I walked up to Daryl, handed it to him without saying a word and walked into the cabin. It was a pretty big cabin, three small rooms, a kitchen and living room.

I walked into one of the rooms and closed the door letting everyone know that I do not want to be bothered. I saw photos of what seemed to be a happy couple with two children. I quickly tore them down the walls and with the photos in hand I walked out of the room and out of the cabin. I searched both of the cars for a lighter or match but couldn't find anything.

"Can I help you look for whatever it is you're looking for?" Ricks voice lingered behind me.

"You got a lighter?" I asked not turning around to face him. He pulled out a match book from his jacket and handed it over. I took out a match and lit it up. I held the pictures over the fire letting them burn. I didn't bother looking up at Rick. I didn't want to see his reaction. I tossed it to the floor and walked away heading back into the cabin room.

The Next Morning

I woke up to the sound of people talking in the kitchen. I slowly sat up on the bed and the door opened.

"Daryl took down a deer this morning. The food is being prepared right now, you're more than welcome to come out and join us." Rick stood by the door with sincerity in his eyes.

I looked away from him and nodded no. Rick walked in closing the door behind him and sat down next to me on the bed.

"You need to eat." He insisted.

I looked to the blanket on the bed avoiding contact.

"Lana I can't imagine…"

"No, you can't." I interrupted. A small silence arose in the conversation.

"When you have a child you are stunned by the capacity you have to love someone so much. You don't know and you can't even come close to imagining how it feels to lose your son." I confessed as I slowly got up and put Dean's jacket on. I looked at Rick, still sitting on the edge of the bed. "I'm glad you have Carl… I'm glad you don't have to feel what I'm feeling because it's a feeling I don't wish on my worst enemy. I lost everyone and you know what? I don't feel sad or sorry… I don't feel anything anymore. People die so we just need to get used to it."

Three Days Later

We decided to stay here at the cabin. We had a pretty good amount of food that Rick, Glenn and Daryl found when they went on their hunt and this place seemed to be walker free. Two days ago they did find one wondering through the woods but since that not many walkers seem to come to this area. Daryl seemed to be pretty stoked because on one of their runs he found a motorcycle in working condition along with canned food that will last us for weeks. Rick and Carl shared one room, Sam and Glenn in the other and Daryl and I in the third room. Daryl and I never really seemed to be in the room together though, our sleeping patters were opposite. Throughout these past days I didn't talk much. I didn't want to strike up conversation and I didn't want to be around anyone, so I kept to myself.

I walked outside and noticed snow was lightly covering the dirty covered grass. First day of snow. I slowly started walking into the woods.

"Where ya goin''?"

I stopped walking but didn't turn around. "For a walk." I answered.

"Hold up."

I stood there for a few seconds waiting and the sound of footsteps nearing.

"I'll go with ya." Daryl stood next to me with his crossbow over his shoulder.

"I need a chaperone to go for a walk?" I looked to him a little bitter. I just wanted to be alone. Daryl started walking as I just stood there looking at him.

He looked back at me when he noticed I wasn't following. "You comin' or not?"


	16. I Got You

I followed Daryl into the woods. We walked silently for a while.

"Should've brought the water purifier, go down to the river and get some water." Daryl looked to me.

"Hmm." I breathed acknowledging but not wanting to talk.

"You've been quiet and shit I don't blame ya but you still got people who care about you. You're not alone."

"What is there to talk about these days? Talk about your past and it just brings back memories, pain. Talk about current events brings even more pain. So why should I talk?"

"Believe it or not we miss hearing you nag."

I stopped walking and glared at him. "I don't nag."

"Yeah, you do." Daryl kept walking.

"I don't think so."

Daryl turned around, walked towards me and stood right in front of me not saying a word.

"What?"' I looked up at him

"You're talking."

I glared at him. "Bitch." I brushed past him and started walking again.

I heard Daryl lightly chuckle and followed right behind me.

"You cold?" Daryl asked as he saw me shaking.

"No." I quickly responded. I didn't hear Daryl walking anymore, I didn't care, I just kept going.

Suddenly an arrow struck the tree I was right next to. I turned my head and looked at the arrow and then to Daryl.

"What the hell! We're you trying to…"

"Don't worry you're pretty little head off princess, I wasn't aiming it at you, just trying to get you to stop walking."

"What if you missed?"

"I never miss." Daryl walked to me. "This isn't you."

I looked to him puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"What you've been through, it's traumatizing but that doesn't mean you should stop caring."

"I cared too much and people died, what's the point of trying to be a good person if this is all we get in the end?"

"Your right, people die and you have the right to mourn and be pissed but you move on with your life and adjust, you don't have to be a pussy about it and alienate the people who are still in your life. We don't have the luxury to live in the past."

I stood there quiet in his words as he took off his jacket, wrapped it over me and pulled me in for a hug. I stood stiff in his arms not knowing what to say or do.

"I got you." Daryl sighed.

Tears finally found their way out as I leaned my head to his chest and cried. Daryl caressed my hair letting me cry on him as I wrapped my arms around him. Over three days of buried emotions busted out in his arms. Not showing my emotions seemed much easier to do but Daryl knew that wasn't who I was. His warmth and touch was something I didn't even know I needed.

Later That Night

We all just finished having dinner and everyone noticed my change in attitude. I was engaging in conversation and even let out a small smile.

"Lana." Rick followed me into the living room.

"I'm sorry. I know I haven't been myself, it's just…I'm adjusting." I apologized.

"There's no need to explain. We're all here for you."

"I know, thank you."

"I'm gonna go read to Carl, your more than welcome to join us." He invited as Carl walked up to us. I looked out the window. Seeing Carl and Rick together made me think of Hunter, how his father and I used to read Hunter his bedtime stories every night.

"No, uh, I'm gonna be outside for a while. Get some air."

I grabbed the flashlight on the table and walked outside planting my feet to the snow.

"You smiled at the dinner table today."

I quickly turned to my right seeing Daryl with a cigarette in his hand.

"Shit." I mumbled. "Didn't see you there."

"Well shit next time I leave the house I'll inform the princess."

"Why do you keep calling me princess? It's getting old."

Daryl just chuckled as he took another puff from his cigarette.

"You got another?" I walked up to him.

"Didn't take you for a smoker." He said as he pulled one out and lit it up.

I didn't say a word as I inhaled the smoke. We stood there for a while with the moonlight gazing down at us.

"You should do it more often."

"Do what?" I questioned.

"Smile."

I handed the cigarette back to Daryl "This ain't not kumbaya."

I walked into the house and saw Sam sitting alone in the living room.

"Hey." Sam walked up to me. "How you holding up?"

"I don't know… barely I guess. It's hard." I looked up to Sam's puppy dog eyes with compassion on his face.

"I'm sorry Lana."

"I'm sorry too. I've seen everyone die. My husband, my sister, Hunter, Hershel, Maggie, Dean. Rick killed Shane after he put his hands on me and the one person I wish would have died didn't. What The Governor did to me…to you guys." I looked down recalling the memories in my mind.

"What did he do to you?" Sam whispered.

"I had to fall into his charms to get the keys…I thought I was going to die but I had to do it."

*Slam* I turned around and saw the door slam shut.

"What's wrong with Daryl?" Sam asked.

I walked outside wondering why Daryl went back out.

"Daryl?" I walked towards him.

"He put his hands on you?" Daryl turned to me furious.

"What?" I stood there looking at him pace around the snow.

"Shane? The Governor?"

I looked to Daryl bewildered. "Why does it matter? It happened, nothing anyone can do about it now."

He turned his back to me and punched the tree forcefully. "Fuck!" Daryl moaned.

I quickly walked over to him and turned him to me.

"Why are you acting like this?" I looked into his eyes studying his facial expressions, his reactions as I grabbed his hand that hit the tree and held it tight.

He clenched his jaw. It seemed like he swallowed a million words that wanted to spill out of his mouth as he stood quiet looking at everything but me.

"Hey, why are you so pissed off?" I tilted my head slightly looking into his eyes.

Daryl jerked back releasing his hand from mine. "Nothin'." He walked into the cabin. I stood there as the snow started falling over my head wondering what triggered him to act like that.

I heard rustling in the woods. I turned around and aimed my flashlight into the woods trying to see what it was but it was too dark. I stood there for a while and didn't hear the sound again. An eerie sensation ran through my body. Like something or someone was watching us.


	17. Someone in the Woods

"Lana." A voice woke me up from a nights rest. I opened my eyes and saw Sam standing by my bed. "Breakfast is ready."

"Thanks, I'll be right out." I yawned as I got out of bed.

Sam started heading to the open door of my bedroom.

"You feeling okay?" I questioned.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Sam looked down to the floor bereaved.

"I know what you're going through Sam. I'm here to lend a sympathetic ear." I leaned in and hugged Sam for comfort.

"Carl was talking about apple pie. Dean was a big fan of pie. He could eat it all day."

I wistfully leaned my forehead on his chest withholding my tears. The prickling pinch of needles seared through my heart hearing his name.

"We all got each other." I promised looking up at Sam.

"Yeah." Sam let out a warm smile hiding his tears perfectly.

I freshened up and went out to have breakfast.

"Good Morning sleepy head." Glenn looked to me handing me a plate of food.

"Good morning." I smiled at Glenn and the group. I sat down at the table and looked around. "Where's Daryl?"

"Outside working on his motorcycle. He said he was going to skip breakfast." Rick answered.

After breakfast I walked outside to talk to Daryl.

"Hey." I strolled over to him.

Daryl glanced at me and went back to working on his bike not saying a word. I stood there a moment trying to figure him out.

"You know you're the one who told me not to distant myself and here you are not following your own advice."

Daryl stopped working on his bike and just stood there looking down as the wind of silence blew down on us.

"Okay." I sighed accepting he wasn't going to talk to me. "Well I'm going down to the river to bring back some more water. I'll stay out of your way." I walked away from him. I went to grab a bucket and the water purifier behind the cabin and started walking. I started hearing footsteps behind me and the presence of Daryl was now by my side holding on to the other bucket.

As we got to the river I bent down getting water but the snow melted under my foot making it slide and lost control of my balance. I was about to fall into the water but Daryl quickly acted as he grabbed my waist from behind pulling me away from the water. I turned around to look at him.

"Thanks." I sighed.

"Told ya you're clumsy." He said as he started getting the water himself. I stood there pondering, thinking if I should even waste my time on him.

"Daryl please don't do this." I walked up behind him.

"Do what?"

"Your attitude. You're better than that and you can't hide it. I've seen the other side of you so why do you have to continue to be rude?"

Daryl got up laying down the bucket and turned to me. "What do you want from me? To stand here and talk about my feelings with you."

I stood there silent letting out a small sigh.

"No, I guess not. Only real men talk about their feelings." I walked away from him and grabbed the bucket.

"What do you want me to say? You got Sam, you don't need me." Daryl blurted out.

"What?"

"Nothin'." Daryl brushed passed me to grab the other bucket.

"What does Sam have to do with anything?" I put down the bucket and quickly grabbed Daryl's shoulder making eye contact.

"You two seemed pretty cozy this mornin in each other's arms."

"Oh my gosh Daryl, are you jealous?"

"You wish." Daryl scoffed.

"Sam lost his brother. I was comforting him. It was just a hug. As for Shane and The Governor, get over it. It happened and there is nothing anyone can do about it now. I put it behind me and so should you. It shouldn't bother you anyways, not like you really care about me. I'm just another person in this group you and Rick are trying to protect because that's all we can do now. I'm no one special, just another damsel in distress to you." I grabbed the bucket of water and started walking back to the cabin.

"Lana." Daryl called my name. I turned to look at him. "There's another pair of footprints."

I looked down to the floor in confusion wondering whose foot prints they belonged to. We followed the prints until it slowly faded away. The prints seemed to be headed to the cabin. We finally got back, the group was outside around a fire keeping warm.

"You guys out in the woods today?" Daryl questioned as he put down the bucket of water.

"No. Why? What's going on?" Rick questioned as he got up and walked towards us.

"There was another pair of footprints in the woods. Looked like it was heading this way."

"Another walker maybe?" Glenn announced.

"Nah, I don't think so, it looked like pretty steady prints to me." Daryl countered.

I walked to my room and laid down. Holding the bucket of water put a number on my back and within a blink of an eye I knocked out.

"Lana."

I quickly sat up on the bed gasping in air as I heard someone call out my name.

"Didn't mean to scare you." Rick walked into the room and closed the door behind him.

"You didn't, I just had a bad dream. How long was I out?" I responded clearing out possible eye boogers that formed during my sleep, shifting to the edge of the bed.

"A few hours. You want to talk about it?"

"No, well… no." I looked to the floor. Rick came over and sat down at the edge of the bed.

"Daryl and Sam went out to investigate the foot prints. See if they find anything suspicious." Rick informed.

"I have this eerie feeling." I looked to Rick. He looked to me wondering what I was talking about. "Last night, I felt like something was out there in the woods. Like a pair of eyes was just staring at me. I tried to see if I could see anything but it was too dark."

"Maybe it was an animal?" Rick excused to comfort me as he observed the unsteady look in my eyes.

"Yeah, just an animal." I shrugged off trying to shake the feeling. "Rick, what happened at the barn, you and I… I don't want things between us to be awkward. I…"

"I know." Rick sighed. "Carl still talks about his mother. He's my main priority and I don't want to make him uncomfortable having to see us together."

"I'm glad we're on the same page." I sighed in relief.

We sat next to each other in a brief silence.

"Hmm."

"What?" Rick looked to me.

"I know you and I are keeping things mutual and all but does it make me a bad person if I still think about that night?"

Rick chuckled as a smirk sprang across his face. "No it doesn't. I still think about myself."

We both smiled as we stared into each other's eyes.

I then looked down to the floor as Rick cleared his throat. The sincerity and peace his eyes glowed would drive any woman crazy if you stare long enough.

"I should probably get out of your room." He quickly looked me up and down thinking I wouldn't notice.

"Yeah."

He got up and walked out. I tried hard not to check him out as he walked away but like always, I failed.

I got up and walked to the living room.

"Sleeping beauty awoke!" Glenn mocked.

"Ha ha you're very funny Glenn." I sarcastically complimented.

Daryl and Sam swooped through the door dragging in the snow storm.

"You guys find anything?" Rick asked.

"We found a dozen walkers hangin'." Daryl put his crossbow down.

"What?" Glenn got up from the sofa.

"Walkers still kickin hangin from trees by their necks with wire. We saw a few footprints but the rest disappeared when the snow storm hit. Found roman numbers carved on the trees one through twelve. Someone's out there but we couldn't find anything. Whoever it is has a sick mind set on how to pass time."

"Who hangs walkers on trees?" Carl shook disturbingly.

"Carl, go to your room." Rick ordered.

"Dad, you can't shield me from this, I'm…"

"But as your father I can try. Go to your room."

Carl walked to the room and slammed the door shut.

"I don't want to alarm anyone but Sam and I felt like we were bein watched." Daryl confessed.

"So what do we do?" Glenn apprehensively looked out the window.

"We keep watch tonight. Someone should stay up, stay in the living room, it's safer than being out in the open, every now then check outside for a minute and come back in. Just so the ones sleeping can have peace of mind. We'll do shifts. I'll go first."

"I'll take second shift." Sam volunteered.


	18. A New Threat

-Later That Night-

The group and I were in the living room reminiscing the night away trying to lighten the tension for Carl. He was pretty shaken up over the fact that someone could be out in the woods.

"What did you do before all of this Glenn?" Rick asked.

"I delivered pizzas."

"Oh what I would do for a slice of pizza right now." I groaned.

"Pepperoni with pineapple." Sam licked his lips.

"Ew pineapple." Carl scrunched his face.

"Who puts fruit on pizza, it's all about the bacon!" Daryl protested.

"Bacon!" Everyone simultaneously moaned in hunger.

"Alright, Ima call it night." I got up from the soft rug on the floor.

"Aw come on." Sam begged with those puppy dog eyes.

"I'm having a blast with you guys but I'm tired. Good night."

"Alright Carl it's time for you go to bed as well." Rick interjected. I heard Carl groaning wanting to stay awake as I walked into my room and closed the door.

I took off my jacket and long sleeve shirt to change into my sleeping clothes as my back was facing the door.

"You're not just someone else in the group." Daryl's voice snuck up from behind.

I quickly put my shirt on and turned around facing him. "Have you ever heard of knocking? How long were you standing there?" I questioned defensively.

"Just came in." Daryl leaned against the wall with his hands resting inside his pockets.

"Please elaborate." I meandered his way.

Daryl roughly sighed as he stood quiet again looking away. I saw past his macho attitude and saw compassion, warmth, and eyes full of care. I leaned my head on his chest wrapping my arms around his waist. After a few seconds Daryl's cold hands inched their way on my skin slowly caressing my upper arms making goose bumps form from his touch.

Daryl touched the bandage that was wrapped around my upper right arm. I looked up to him as he looked to me and back to the bandage.

"It's nothing." I muttered as he looked to me curiously.

He slowly pulled down the bandage exposing my healing bullet wound. The feeling of that bandage being pulled down jerked me back a bit as I didn't want him to see. He closed his eyes pensively leaning his head back to the wall as I fixed the bandage back to the wound.

"The Governor did that to you?"

"Shane." I whispered.

Daryl slid away from me fuming as he paced the room not knowing how to react.

"Hey, hey. I'm fine. I really am." I lied right to his face. I was far from fine but he didn't need to know that. "Take a deep breath." I tried calming him down.

Daryl inhaled and slowly exhaled actually listening to what I said. I grabbed his hands to keep them warm. Daryl then looked to me clearing his throat. I opened his right hand and kissed his palm warmly breathing into it. I then moved to his left hand doing the same. I stopped and held on to both of his hands looking into his eyes. He had a hesitant look as if he wanted more intimacy but was holding back waiting to see where I stand.

I put his hands on my waist and wrapped my arms around his neck bringing him down, slowly brushing my lips on his, not yet kissing him, just waiting to see if he would initiate the first kiss. With my chest pressed up to his I felt his heartbeat rising as he anxiously cleared his throat again. I knew it was going to be up to me so I lightly kissed his bottom lip. His lips were soft, extremely warm and barely reacting to mine. I started picking up the pace kissing him a little harder as I tugged on to his hair trying to bring out the beast and it worked. Daryl's hands ran through my hair gently pulling on it then ran his right hand down my back heading to my waist, bringing me even closer to his body.

I grabbed his vest, dragged him to the bed and pushed him down breaking the kiss. I got on top of him and attacked his neck with my lips. Daryl's heavy breathing made me crazy. I knew he was holding in moans that desperately wanted to come out. He then took off my shirt and unbuttoned my pants. He gently rolled me over and got on top taking control. I lifted his shirt half way and he quickly took it off for me. His lips glued to my neck and quickly found my sweet spot as I let out a small moan.

"Shh." He shushed me putting his hand over my mouth. "Everyone's gonna know what we're doing if you moan like last time."

I playfully bit down on his hand and his lips rushed back to my neck going down to my collar bone and to my chest. I was trying everything in my power to stay quiet.

*Crash*

Daryl quickly jumped off me and we rushed to get dressed. We ran out the room to see the window in the living room broken. Rick and Sam were outside with their guns as Daryl grabbed his crossbow running out the door. I stood there in consternation.

"What the hell?"

"What happened?" Carl escaped his room jogging towards Glenn and I?

"Glenn, grab the dinner table and break the legs off. We're gonna board up the window. I'll go grab the hammer and nails." I ordered as I was looking at the big rock in the middle of the living room.

"Show yourself!" I heard Rick yelling outside. I ran into Rick's room getting the tools to board up the window and when I glanced out the window I saw walkers appearing out of the woods.

"Walkers!" I yelled out for dear life running out of the room and into my room grabbing the gun and knife I had in the dresser. I ran out helping the group kill the walkers one by one without using the guns. There were only about a dozen spread apart and we needed to conserve ammo.

As the last walker went down with an arrow through its skull we all stood still processing what just happened. The heavy breathing showed all our breaths in the winter freeze.

"Dad!" Carl screamed from his room. The group ran to Carl's aid but I remained still. I walked around trying to figure out what was happening and suddenly my eyes widened and my heart quickened. "Shit." I whispered to myself. I walked back inside to the living room.

"I saw someone in the woods!" Carl repeated.

"We need to get out of here." Glenn claimed.

"You really think that's a good idea?" Sam paced the room.

"Why?" Glenn looked to Sam as if he was crazy to want to stay.

"What if they're trying to draw us out? There could be a group out there waiting for us to leave. We could be easy prey. Mind games you know."

"We're not safe here." Rick voiced.

"Well we're not safe out there and we're not safe in here, what do we do?" Glenn panicked .

"We don't know what we're dealing with. Could be one person or a group, armed or not. We need to make a decision right now to wait it out the night or go."

Everyone looked at each other deciding and then looked to me.

"Lana, what's wrong?" Rick took a step closer to me dismayed as he saw me standing by the door frozen stiff in alarm.

"We're not going anywhere."


	19. Surrender

I went back outside knowing they would follow and walked to the motorcycle near the cars.

"Fuck!" Daryl kicked the car in frustration. "Show yourself you fuckin coward!"

"They slashed our tires." Glenn quietly told himself in disbelief.

"Everybody back inside." Rick necessitated.

We all gathered in the living room.

"What now?" Sam looked to all of us.

"We stay inside. It's all we can do right now." Rick stated.

"We should leave at dawn. Find the closest town, hopefully find a car." Daryl spoke up.

"Two of us should stay up and the rest can get some sleep. We'll take shifts. We have a long walk ahead of us and need rest. Daryl and I will take first shift, Glenn and Sam will take second. You guys should rest up. We'll let you know if we see anything." Rick took action.

Sam, Glenn, Carl and I went into Rick's room with all the blankets and pillows to get some rest. We all felt safer sleeping in the same room. Sam and Glenn offered Carl and I to share the bed but I declined. So Glenn and Carl ended up sharing the bed as Sam and I laid down on the floor sharing the same blanket for warmth. After a while I heard Glenn lightly snore and Carl was completely knocked out.

My back was against Sam. I couldn't sleep and I quietly began to cry. I tried hard to suck it in but it just escaped.

"Lana, are you okay." Sam whispered.

"I'm fine." I quietly sniffed.

Sam's hand gently touched my shoulder signaling me to turn over. I slowly turned facing Sam, making my tears slide down the other side of my face.

"Hey, its okay, we'll get through this." He whispered pushing back my hair.

"No it's not. I don't know how long I can keep going."

Sam pulled me close to him giving me a slow kiss on the forehead. It felt just the way Dean would kiss my forehead. I buried my head in Sam's chest sobbing quietly.

"We all got each other remember. You're not alone." He continued to stroke my hair for comfort. His hands swimming through my hair was the medicine I needed to fall asleep.

"Lana. Lana, wake up. We gotta start heading out." Glenn's voice woke me.

I grabbed my backpack and headed out the door with the group as the orange sun slowly rised.

"Anything happened while I was out?" I questioned the group.

"No, thank God." Sam answered.

We were walking through the snow heading for the nearest town on the map that Rick found on one of their earlier runs. We were mostly quiet; I don't think we knew what to tell each other. Daryl was walking ahead of us, Rick, Carl and I in the middle and Glenn and Sam in the back. We were all keeping an eye out watching each other's backs and only taking mini breaks until dusk finally hit.

"You guys." Daryl called out as he stopped.

We all saw it, the road leading to town. That means we only had about another mile walk ahead of us before we got there. I was relieved, a day's worth of walking in the heavy snow and we were almost there. We all started walking on the side of the road.

"Gross." Carl let out a gagging groan.

I looked in the middle of the street and saw a decomposing animal body. It was covered with maggots and flies, it was hard to figure out what kind of animal it was.

Our ears started picking up a grumbling sound from behind us. We turned around and saw from a distant a truck heading towards us.

"Quick, back in the woods." Rick mandated trying to keep everyone safe.

We all ran back into the wood, crouching down to the floor hiding behind trees, carefully watching to see if it will keep driving off.

The truck stopped right across from us on the side of the road. Four men came out of the truck with machine guns ready for action and when my eyes realized who it was I knew there was nowhere to hide anymore.

"I know you guys are out there, hiding. Why don't you come out and we can do this the easy way." The Governor beckoned slowly taking a few steps closer to the woods as he stood right in front of the three other men.

Not a noise was made hoping they couldn't see us and just go away. The Governor then shot his machine gun releasing bullets into the woods striking some trees and the ground. We all panicked silently trying not to move.

"Come on Rick, let your son come out and play. Oh I know your names. Maggie spilled enough information before I shot her in the head. I'm the one who shot her as you guys were heading to the library. I was closer than you thought. What a shame, your girlfriend was fun to play with Glenn. Sam, Daryl, you tell Glenn what you saw me do to Maggie?"

We all stayed our ground. We didn't let The Governors words draw us out.

"Lana…oh Lana. I can still taste your lips. Your soft, moist, tender lips. The things I wanted to do to you. The things I am going to do to you."

I closed my eyes shivering in disgust.

"I'll tell you what. I'm a man of negotiation. I'll let everyone walk, live your pathetic meaningless lives under one condition and one condition only…Lana. Send her out. One life shouldn't be worth the rest of ya."

The Governor stopped talking leaving us in a strong silence to think it over. I slowly got up from the floor still hiding behind the tree glancing over to Rick. His facial and hand gestures were signaling me to stay put, to not listen to The Governor as he was mouthing the words "No" shaking his head. I nodded yes. I laid my bag against the tree and slowly sauntered into the open revealing myself.

"Lana!" Rick loudly whispered.

"Put your hands up!" The Governor aimed his gun. "Lay down your weapons."

I closed my eyes and grinded my teeth in terror as I slowly pulled out my gun and laid it down on the snow.

"All your weapons." The Governor demanded.

I took in a deep breath and slowly pulled out my knife tossing it to the ground.

"Slowly come to daddy."

I looked at The Governor with his sadistic smirk, wearing an eye patch covering the wound I left him. My right foot was heavier than a hundred bricks as I slowly moved it forward taking a step to The Governor.

*Boom Boom Boom*


	20. Cherokee Rose

I quickly dropped down to the ground realizing that Rick and the group were firing at The Governor and his crew. I reached for my knife and gun getting behind the tree again sneaking my head and arm out firing back. We stopped firing to reload and within that second The Governor and his men retaliated running towards us.

The second we heard them reload we aimed our guns back at them. They were closer than we thought, they charged after us the second we aimed our guns to them.

*Boom Boom Boom* Guns blazing on both sides and then no more as the gun fight became a full on brawl.

The Governor speared me to the ground and viciously punched my face. I elbowed his nose jerking him back a bit. I quickly grabbed my knife but he grabbed the blade and changed the game turning it to me. I was struggling to push his hands that were holding on to the knife away from my chest but I felt myself slowly losing. I moved the blade away from my chest but couldn't manage to get it completely away from my body. The blade broke my skin. The Governor slowly penetrated the knife through my left shoulder more than an inch deep. Suddenly the weight of The Governor lifted as Daryl pulled him off me and swung him hard against a tree. Daryl was putting a beating on him, both of them swinging for life.

*Boom*

I looked to Rick as he just put down the last man. The Governor suddenly swung Daryl over and took control beating his face in. I got up from the snow and as Rick was about to help Daryl I pushed Rick aside and aimed my gun to the back of The Governors head. I wanted to handle The Governor myself. He stopped throwing his punches and slowly put his hands in the air.

"Okay, you win." The Governor surrendered as he turned to face me. "Go on, kill me." A slight grin arose on his lips.

I quickly glanced at the group. Rick and Daryl had small cuts to their faces ready to attack The Governor if he makes a move, Glenn and Sam and Carl were leaning on a trees, exhausted holding on to their guns.

"You're not going to kill me. You'll have them do it, but you're not a killer. A girl like you, you're not capable, revenge doesn't suit you."

I aimed the gun to his right knee cap and pulled the trigger. The Governor dropped down to the snow in agonizing pain holding on to his knee.

"What am I not capable of doing again? I don't remember, I'm just a girl." I crouched down and grabbed his face viciously making him look at me. "See, where I come from you don't antagonize the person holding the gun."

"Lana." Rick stepped closer. Daryl grabbed Rick's shoulder, holding him back from getting between The Governor and I.

I aimed the gun to the Governors head still forcing him to look at me. "Getting my revenge won't bring anyone back. Maggie, Dean…" I sighed with a lump in my throat saying Dean's name. "But knowing you will turn into a walker, Hell it won't make things any better, but it's a start." I moved the gun to his heart and pulled the trigger. I got up and stared at The Governors lifeless body as the snow turned red. The anger and coldness I felt pumping through my heart scared me but refused to show any sort of emotion. I took me eyes off him, grabbed my bag and headed to his truck.

"Let's go, before he comes back." I plainly told the group.

We got to town; there were plenty of cars all around the neighborhood so getting a new car shouldn't be a problem. We killed a few walkers making the neighborhood clear for now, there didn't seem to be many walkers in this little town. We found a small house that was safe enough to stay in for the night. Everyone was relieved as we searched the house and found some canned food and a bunch of blankets to stay warm. Each night just seemed to be getting colder and colder.

I walked into the restroom and raided the cabinet for a first aid kit. I found bandages to wrap my wound and alcohol. I laid my flashlight on the counter to give light and started to clean my shoulder wound.

"Ugh." I cried out softly trying not to be heard as I rubbed alcohol on my wound.

"You need help?" Rick opened the door.

"No."

Rick didn't listen as he walked in and started cleaning my wound. I looked away from him twitching in pain.

"Daryl and Sam are walking around the house making sure its secure, Carl and Glenn are asleep. You, Daryl and Sam can take the second room." He informed as he started to bandage the wound up. "Lana, the situation in the woods…"

"I'll keep watch." I interrupted as I grabbed the flashlight and walked out the door by passing Daryl who was listening to our conversation outside the restroom.

I sat down on the porch making sure no one was coming after me. I waited a few minutes planning my next move. I got up and walked up to random cars to see if any were open. After I finally found one I opened the door but something grabbed my ankle. I panicked for a second then pulled out my knife. I looked down to see that a walker was underneath the car. I couldn't shake it off so I stabbed it in the head before its mouth got close to my ankle.

I got in and closed the door. I couldn't find keys anywhere so I got down, aimed my flashlight to see what I was doing and pulled down wires, trying to find the right ones to hot wire the car. I don't know anything about cars so I was just putting wires together until something gives. After what seemed like an eternity the car growled with life. I sat back down on the driver's seat and leaned my head back in relief. The passenger door quickly opened and I pulled my gun out aiming at whatever it was that opened it.

"Where you goin'?" Daryl sat down.

"Around the corner to buy milk?" I gave him a sorry excuse as I turned off my flashlight to conserve the battery.

It was dark in the car but I could see him glaring at me waiting for me to answer.

I quickly sighed. "I'm leaving."

Daryl reached down to the wires and pulled them apart.

"What are you doing?" I pushed him away.

"You're not going anywhere."

"Why? I got my revenge and once you hit that level there's no coming back. I killed him and I'm not sorry. I thought I would feel guilty for killing a human being but I don't. I can't stay with you guys after you've all seen me do that. I can't handle the fact that you guys see me differently."

"Who said we see you different? We've all been there; it's the world we live in now."

"And I can't live in this world anymore Daryl! I can't! I can't do it anymore. I use to wake up in the morning and lived for something. I was married; I had a son, a sister and parents I would see on holidays, friends that were like family, an amazing job. I could let it all go, all of it if Hunter was still here. You have no idea, the pain of losing your child. I failed at being a mother. I close my eyes and I see him...I could still hear him screaming. I wasn't…I, I couldn't…it was too late. I woke up this morning and you know what I told myself? What's the point? What's the point of getting up? I'm alone. I wish a walker or someone would just kill me in my sleep so I won't have to wake up anymore." I was engulfed with pain, anger and frustration. I hit the steering wheel a couple of times letting it out as tears ran down my face.

"Just please get out of the car Daryl. I just don't want anyone to look at me anymore." I beseeched. I sighed, leaning my forehead on the steering wheel.

Daryl got out of the car and walked over to the driver's door, opened it and slowly pulled me out. He gently pushed my head down to rest on his upper chest and wrapped his arms around me.

"We'll be alone together."

We stood there hugging away the night. It was freezing, but with my emotions numbing my mind it didn't fade me. I looked up to Daryl, clouds were hiding the moon tonight but his eyes were still glowing and I reached up to kiss him. Daryl then cupped my face with both of his hands as my hands were resting on his waist.

Our make out session made its way to the back seat of the car. Daryl took off my jacket, leaving my long sleeve shirt on because of the temperature, carefully laid me down and slowly took of my pants. He then took off his jacket, started unbuckling his belt, unzipped his zipper and slid his pants down. His gently laid his lips on mine as he slowly entered me. Passion melted through my body. The intimacy we were sharing, he was gentle, his hands on the right spots on my body and it blew me away. It was cold outside but once we started picking up the pace our bodies heated up. He was my blanket for the night.

I woke up on a bed alone in a room. I was wondering how I ended up in bed since Daryl and I fell asleep in the car. I got up and figured he must've picked me up while I was out and brought me in here. I looked at the nightstand and saw a white flower. I picked it up and held it near my nose breathing in the freshness.

"The story is that when American soldiers where moving Indians off their land, on the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying so much 'cause they were losing their little ones along the way."

I turned and saw Daryl standing by the door as he continued.

"Exposure and disease and starvation; a lot of them just disappeared. So the elders, they sent a prayer, asked for a sign to uplift the mother's spirits. Give 'em strength, hope. The next day, this rose started to grow right where the mother's tears fell. It's odd that this rose was blooming outside in the snow, but I believe, this one is bloomin' for you, to uplift your spirit."

I looked down to the rose then closed my eyes trapping tears that wanted to escape. Daryl walked over to me and held me close in a hug.

"I wake up every morning for one reason, to keep you safe." Daryl's words sunk in my heart. I looked up and his eyes gazed into mine. "If you go, I won't have a reason anymore."

His right hand gently cupped my chin lifting my head up for a kiss.

"Oh, um, we have a situation outside."

Daryl and I looked to Glenn standing by the door. Glenn hid the awkward feeling of walking in on our kiss as he was more preoccupied with what was happening outside.


	21. To Chance

"It's a community. We all pull our weight." A tall man with a black beanie cap stood before all of us.

"You need to give us a minute." Rick studied the man.

"Of course." The man politely stepped aside and waited by his car across the street leaving us to discuss the situation.

"What's going on?" Daryl looked to Rick.

"This man is offering us a place to live. That is if we pass the interview."

"What are you talking about?" I questioned.

"This man, Tyreese, he goes out looking for survivors and takes them in. They have a community, homes, food, safety."

"How do we know he's telling the truth and not just a psycho?" Sam exclaimed.

"We don't. The question is, are we willing to take that chance?" Rick looked to all of us.

"What does he mean about an interview?" I looked across the street at the man waiting patiently.

"The man who runs the place just doesn't take anyone in. They want to make sure we are not threats, savages. They have children and elderly they need to keep safe." Rick explained

"We've all prayed for a safe place and now that it's being offered, it feels weird." Glenn confessed.

"We've been through too much." Sam sighed.

I quickly walked over across the street.

"How do I know you're not bull shitting with us?" I got in Tyreese's face.

"Lana." Rick grabbed me from behind pulling me away from him.

"You don't. I'm not going to force you to go with me but you are more than welcome to. We take care of our people." Tyreese took a step back from me as if I was going to hurt him.

"And how…"

"Lana..." Rick interrupted me but I quickly interrupted him.

"No Rick! It could be another Woodbury! Another Governor!" I backed away from Rick and Tyrese.

Daryl's right hand gripped my wrist and dragged me away from them.

"She's been through a lot, we all have." I heard Rick excuse my behavior to Tyreese as Daryl led me to the living room of the house.

"You need to take it down a notch." Daryl gently squeezed my arms.

"You're telling me to calm down!" I backed away from him. "What if it's a trap?"

"Could be, but what if it's not." His fingers gripped around my waist to bring me closer to him.

"We take caution going. Look for anything suspicious." Daryl explained and I backed up again. "Hey, I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He pulled me back in to his breathing space. I sighed leaning my head on his chest. Hearing his gentle breathing calmed me down a bit. Everyone walked in the house and I took a few steps back from Daryl.

"So what's the plan?" Rick quickly looked us up and down.

Daryl looked to me waiting for an answer.

"We go." I sighed looking down to the floor.

"Dad, I don't want to go." Carl spoke up.

"Why not son?" Rick got down on one knee to his level.

"We've been through so much. We trusted a group and look what happened to mom, and The Governor." Carl confessed to Rick.

"We all have each other watching our backs; I won't let anything happen to you. I promise. We need to see if this is real, that's what we've been fighting for isn't it?"

Carl looked down to his feet and slightly nodded.

"Let's start packing." Rick stood up and walked outside to inform Tyreese of our decision.

After everything was packed and set to go Rick decided to get to know Tyreese better to make sure he was the real deal, so he went in the car with him.

Glenn, Sam and Carl traveled in one car and Daryl and I in another. We were now on the road to what we all hoped and prayed is sanctuary.

The car ride was painfully quiet. We had about a two and a half hour drive and forty-five minutes barely passed.

I felt Daryl's eyes glance over at me while I was gazing out the window. He then intentionally cleared his throat.

"What?" I looked to him.

"Nothin'."

"What?" I questioned him again.

"You're quiet."

"I don't know what to say." I looked down to my feet.

A silence grew again. Both of us thinking of what to say to one another.

"Tell me about yourself." I suggested.

"What do you mean?" He kept his eyes on the car ahead of us.

"What did you do? Were you a taken man? Things you liked to do for fun? Favorite color? How old are you?" I went on.

"Why you wanna know?"

"Gee, I don't know, maybe because you know some things about me and all I know is that you are good with a crossbow. I would like to know some things about the man I've banged."

"Banged?" He chuckled with a slight smirk brightening his face.

"Never mind." I looked out the window avoiding contact with his figure.

I felt an immense awkwardness between us. A silence brewing once again.

"Red." He croaked.

"What?" I looked to him as he was clearing his throat.

"My favorite color is red. It's a strong and powerful color, very sexy. Especially that night at the cabin when you changed into that red night shirt."

I felt my cheeks tingle as I looked back out the window. The ice broke and we finally started talking.

The car that Tyreese and Rick were driving in started slowing down ahead of us. Fences with barbed wire made its self visible and we finally stopped. Tyreese got out of the car and made his way to the two men opening the gate. Daryl rolled down the window as Rick walked over to us.

"We're goin in. They will tell us where to park the cars and we will have our interview. If they are the bad guys Tyreese is hiding it real good. I couldn't get anything out of him. He seems legit." Rick informed.

"Alright then." Daryl looked to Rick walking away to inform Glenn and Sam in the car behind us.

Anxiety hit me like a rock starting from the pit of my stomach and expanding throughout my whole body. Daryl looked over to me and noticed that my breathing started shaking and that I was tensing up.

"I got you." Daryl's right hand reached over to mine giving it a light squeeze to ease the tension.

We rolled up to the gates and two men with shot guns were hand signaling us where to park our vehicles. A few walkers found their way to the gates and the two men released fire into their bodies until they collapsed to the ground. We all got out of the cars and gathered around Tyreese as the two other men walked towards us. Out of the blue a tall bearded man with a clean dark blue suit approached us.


	22. A New Beginning

"Hello there, a pleasure to see more survivors." The tall bearded man approached Rick with his light but clear southern accent; he looked to all of us, observing who we were. "Daniel." He introduced himself putting his hand out to Rick.

"Rick." He firmly shook Daniel's hand.

"Rick, I'm assuming you are the leader of your group here. I would love to interview you first." Daniel motioned his arm showing Rick the way.

Rick and Daniel walked into a white suburban home as well all stood outside waiting.

I glanced over at one of the men who were holding the shot gun. He kept eyeing me up and down, it made me uncomfortable. I sat down on the porch and looked around observing the place.

After a half hour or so of waiting outside in the cold Rick walked out with Daniel. Carl quickly got up from the porch and ran into Rick's arms. Rick nodded letting us know it was okay.

"Lana, I would love to talk to you next." Daniel's right arm motioned me to the front door of the house.

Daryl took a step closer to me, not wanting to leave me alone with a stranger.

"I do my interviews in private. I promise I won't bite." Daniel looked to Daryl.

I looked to Daryl and back to Daniel. I slowly started walking into the house, Daniel right behind me.

"Take a seat." His arm again motioned me to the dining room area. I looked around observing the house. It was normal. Family pictures on the walls, candles everywhere, organized clean furniture. I sat down letting out a light moan of relaxation.

"Water?" He poured the liquid into a tall glass from the pitcher he had on the table. He laid it down on the table in my arms reach. I stared at it wanting to down it but restrained myself.

"After everything Rick has told me I could imagine that you are thirsty."

I slowly grabbed the glass and held it to my lips. Still hesitant to drink it but finally let the clear water flow through my dry mouth.

"So how did you find Rick and his group?" He crossed his fingers together laying them down on the table.

"He found me." I gently placed the glass back on the table licking my dry lips to keep them moist.

"More detail please."

"I was at a gun shop with three other people. A small herd came through; Rick and Shane were at the right place at the right time and came to help."

"Rick tells me they are no longer among us. Please explain."

"I'm sorry how is the past relevant to all of this. Why…"

"Because the past determines who you are now and what you are willing to do. It's hard but when you let it out it can pretty much determine what kind of person you really are. I need to know that I'm letting in good people into my community. Please elaborate, from when it all started till now."

I grinded my teeth letting out a sigh of frustration. I started to tell him everything that has happened.

"I'm sorry about Crystal and Hunter. I know how it is to lose a loved one." He sympathized.

A tear rolled down my right eye and I quickly wiped it away with Dean's jacket.

"The way Rick talks about you, makes me to believe something happened between you two, something intimate."

"We uh, one time…" I hesitated.

"But you guys are not together? Why not?"

"We had a mutual understanding of why it could not happen. For Carl sake."

Daniel nodded. "How did The Governor die?"

I looked down with my eyes closed. I felt like I was being judged for everything that I have done.

"I killed him." I sighed.

I felt Daniel's eyes burn down on me as I was still looking down.

"You're not a bad person Lana. You and Rick are the good guys in all this tainted soil. Noble, strong and brave. You guys have survived outside these gates, we need people like you. To hold this place together. Everyone has a role here. Since Rick was an officer of the law we came to terms that he will be the law in this community. Making sure everything is peaceful, calm and safe. What did you do before all of this?"

"I was a preschool teacher."

"We could use another hand in caring for the children here. Interested?"

"I was thinking more in the lines of supply runs."

"We have that covered, the children here could use some knowledge and you would be perfect."

"Okay." I sighed not satisfied with my roll in all of this.

After Daniel finished interviewing everyone he showed us around the community. There was a small school, homes, lawns, animals, everything a community consists of. It was a securely gated community that seemed almost too good to be true.

"Welcome to Bethlehem." Daniel welcomed us to the community with arms wide open. "For everyone's safety we do ask that you leave all your weapons in the storage room. We don't want to make people feel uneasy seeing weapons all around. Glenn, Daryl and Rick will be the only ones able to carry a weapon due to your jobs. Rick will have one at all times but Daryl and Glenn will put their weapons back at the end of their job each day."

Carl looked the most affected by it. He really didn't want to give up his gun.

"Don't worry. You are all safe." Daniel assured us.

We all pulled out our weapons handing them over to Daniel. He put them in a brown sack he carried with him during the tour of the place. I too was hesitant to hand over my gun and knife but gently put it in the sack.

"Daryl and Glenn, you guys will have access to the storage room on your shifts. Rick, keep your gun. You're a man of the law." He handed the gun back to Rick. "We are working on expanding; right now we only have four houses available." He walked us to the four houses. They were all right next to each other. He handed Rick four keys that he pulled out of his pants pocket.

"I'm sure you can determine amongst each other who gets what. The houses are already stocked with food, clothing, blankets and everything you will need. Make yourselves at home. You all start work tomorrow. You know where I stay, if you need anything you know where to find me. Feel free to roam around, folks here are very friendly." Daniel walked away leaving us be.

"So Rick and Carl have one house, and who is the last pair?" I looked to everyone.

"I don't mind sharing a house with Glenn." Sam looked to Glenn for acceptance.

"That's cool with me." Glenn accepted Sam as his roommate.

"Well Lana, looks like you get a house all to yourself and so does Daryl." Rick handed Daryl and I a key to the houses.

We all walked to our new homes. I opened the door with caution. Even though we were in a gated community I was still on alert, afraid a walker would pop out from any corner. I carefully checked the house and then a sense of relief hit me. It was walker free. I looked around the one bedroom house and grabbed an orange that was on the counter in the kitchen. I ate it like there was no tomorrow. The juice of that orange was the sweetest thing I've tasted in a long time.

I turned the knob to the faucet and noticed water was actually running, hot water. I quickly ran to the restroom and turned on the water from the shower and put my hand in to check the temperature. It was hot. I quickly undressed and jumped in letting the hot water stream down my aching body. I moaned with pleasure. The little things in life that I truly missed. Hot water!

Next Morning

"Everyone this is Lana. She's going to be your new teacher." A lady named Casey introduced me to the small group of children in the classroom. "If you need anything you know where I'll be." She told me as she walked out the classroom.

She had explained to me to just teach them what I know about education, math, English, anything to expand their little minds. I stood there in front of the children wondering what to do. The children sat there at their desks staring at me, waiting for me to say something. I started out by asking their names and ages. I talked to each one of them to figure out what exactly they know considering their different ages.

When the clock struck twelve the children gathered their things as their parents stopped by to take them home. I turned my back to the children and their parents putting away some books. For some reason I felt like I didn't belong here. I didn't want to be around these children, I don't want to just do this every day.

"You must be the new girl?" A man's deep voice broke my thoughts.

"Uh, yeah." I turned to the man. He was tall, blue eyes, well cut dirty blond hair with a smile that quickly captivated me.

"James. Nice to see a new face." James put his hand out for a shake.

"Lana." I shook his hand as he firmly had a grip on mine.

"That's a beautiful name. I need to take my nephew home to his mother, maybe I'll see you later." He smiled as he walked out with his seven year old nephew.

"Lana, walk you home?" Sam walked through the door.

"Sure."

"They're having a welcoming party for us tonight. Daniel told me right now before I came to walk you. Should be interesting."

"A welcoming party?" I looked to Sam a little nervous about the idea as we exited the school building and walked home.

"Yeah, everyone is going to be there. Don't worry, I asked, they have alcohol." Sam joked.

"Well, let the party begin." I smiled now excited for a drink.


	23. Jealousy

-The Party-

The group seemed to be getting along well with the people in this community. Rick was chatting up everyone in the room wanting to know everyone, Glenn started drinking to make himself more talkative, Sam was chatting with an elderly couple, And the only people who were not in a Chatty Cathy mood was Carl and I. We stood by the back of the room leaning on the wall watching everyone talk to someone.

"Why aren't you talking to the other kids?" I questioned Carl as I took a sip from my drink that had a splash of vodka.

"I don't want to. This is stupid."

"Tell me about it."

"Their acting like walkers don't even exist. We can't live this life anymore. These people don't even look like they know how to handle a walker if it walked right in." Carl explained.

"Well they seem to be doin a pretty good job at keeping them a bay. This little community could actually work out if they keep watch like they're doin. But I understand how you feel. I feel like I don't belong here. I don't fit in with these types of people."

"We're just outcasts." Carl sighed.

"Lana, what are you doing all by yourself?" Rick walked up to Carl and I.

"Kickin it."

"Carl, there's a few people I want you to meet." Rick put his hand on Carl's back leading him the way. "Lana, you should meet them too." Rick looked to me, not wanting me to be alone.

"I'm fine, really. Go have fun." Carl looked back as they were walking away with a face that showed he didn't want to be around the crowd of people.

"It's nice to see you again Lana." James leaned his back to the wall next to me.

"James. Hi." I smiled at him.

"You having a good time?"

"Yeah, I'm having a blast. Can't you tell?" I looked down.

"What's wrong?" He looked to me with curious eyes.

"I just, I haven't seen Daryl all day."

"Daryl, you mean that guy over there?" James walked me into the middle of the room, moving through the crowd of people and motioned his head to the right.

"Booyah!" I heard Daryl yell out holding a liquor bottle up in the air as three other women were around him laughing. I stood there for a brief moment somewhat paralyzed. He didn't even bother trying to find me. I can't believe he would do this to me and I can't believe I was actually jealous.

"Lana, I love you!" Glenn flopped towards me with a drink in his hand and rested his arm around my shoulder. I got a good whiff of alcohol on him.

"Glenn, you're drunk." I laughed at how ridiculous he looked.

"Glenn are you drunk?" Sam walked over to us.

"Sam! I love you!" Glenn then wrapped his other arm around Sam bringing us into a close hug. "You guys, you guys! I love you guys! I uh I, I might need to throw up." Glenn mumbled.

"Okay Glenn you've had enough." Sam took Glenn's drink. "I'll take you home."

"No, I'll take Glenn home." I held on to Glenn keeping his balance.

"You sure?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure." I needed an excuse to leave the party and taking Glenn home was the perfect one.

"I'll help you." James offered.

"Glenn, key." I put my hand out and he slowly reached in his pocket moving his hand all around trying to find the key.

"Here you go Sam." Glenn looked to me with bloodshot eyes.

"Glenn, its me. Lana."

"Lana, you're so awesome! Drinking is awesome!" Glenn smiled as he stumbled in the house. Glenn then rushed to the restroom and the puke wars began.

James helped me lay Glenn down on his side when he was done vomiting and stayed there a while to make sure he was okay.

"Thanks for the help." I smiled at James as we walked out of the house. "Ima call it a night."

"So early? You don't want to go back to the party?"

"No, I'm just not up for the whole party scene tonight."

"We made a run the other day; we ended up finding some coffee grounds. If you're interested you could come over to my place and have a cup of coffee."

"Coffee? Seriously? I would love a cup of coffee right now." I smiled wanting to have the taste of coffee in my mouth and I really needed something to get my mind off Daryl and those girls he was with.

We walked over to his house and he made me a cup of coffee like he said he was. We sat down in his living room with candles lit for light and started talking. Everything that came out of his mouth was very interesting. He was smart, funny and knew how to keep the conversation going. After a while he walked me back to my house.

"Thanks again for the coffee. You don't know how bad I've been missing the smell of it."

"Anytime." He smiled as he unexpectedly leaned in and gently kissed my cheek.

"What the fuck!" Daryl yelled.

James and I turned to see Daryl walking up the steps of the porch.

"Daryl…"

"You need to step away from ma girl!"

"Look, I don't want any trouble." James backed away from Daryl. Daryl then quickly took a swing punching James in the face.

"Daryl!" I got between them pushing them away from each other.

James walked down the porch holding his face and walked away.

"I'm gonna stomp your ass!" Daryl yelled out as he was trying to get away from me.

"Daryl, stop!"

"You're just another harlot." Daryl pushed me away and walked over to his house and slammed the door.

Morning

I woke up and got ready for work again. The clock struck twelve and the children left with their parents.

"Lana." James stood by the door as the last child left the room.

"James." I sighed. "I'm so sorry about what happened last night…"

"It's okay." He smiled.

"No it's not." I looked to him confused as he walked up to me.

"I didn't know you and Daryl were…serious. It doesn't surprise me though."

"What do you mean?"

"A beautiful girl comes around that I really like and she's a taken woman." His clear blue eyes looked into mine as he took a step closer.

I chuckled nervously not knowing what to say. He then leaned in and put his lips to mine. I stood there stiff in place trying to process what is happening and pulled away.

"James…"

"Lana, you are so beautiful and Daryl, a hick like that truly doesn't deserve a woman like you."

"James…"

"Lana, I really want to kiss you again." He laid his hands on my upper arms and pulled me in for a kiss. I tried to push him away but his hands held on tighter. I winced in pain as his hand roughly had a hold around my healing bullet wound.

"Get off of me!" I managed to push his lips of mine and slapped him leaving him red in the face. I grabbed my bag and quickly walked out of the place.

I walked home and slammed the door shut. I sat on the sofa and started crying. I rested my head in my hands and I heard the door knock. I didn't bother answering. I couldn't stop crying.

"Lana, are you okay?" Sam slowly opened the door to see my crying. He closed the door behind him and sat down next to me. "Lana, hey. What's wrong?" He whispered bringing me in for a hug.

"It's just…I don't want to talk about it." I mumbled though his jacket as my head rested on his chest.

"You can talk to me, you know that right?"

"Yeah." I sniffed still letting out tears. "I know. Thank you Sam."

Sam gently ran his fingers through my hair to comfort me. It was working. I calmed down and finally looked into his eyes. It was hard to look into his eyes but it was hard not to. He reminded me of Dean, the gentleness and compassion in his eyes.

"Can I get you anything?" The softness in his voice made me crack a light smile.

"No, thank you but I'm fine. I'm just gonna go take a nap."

"Okay, well you know where I live." Sam got up with me and hugged me one more time.


	24. It's No Secret

*Knock Knock Knock*

I woke up from my nap to a knock at the door. I got up from the sofa as I stretched with a slight yawn. I looked out the window and Saw Rick at the door.

"Hey." I opened the door wide open

"You hungry?" Rick smiled holding a small box of food. The light glistening from the sunset behind Rick hit his figure perfectly, almost as if he was glowing.

"Where's Carl?" I moved to the side letting Rick in.

"Glenn and Sam took him down the street to a neighbor's house, The Wilsons. Carl took a liking to their German shepherd that was running around."

"Well it seems like Carl is finally wanting to do something now instead of being anti social."

"It's hard for him to adjust to this, but he's warming up." Rick started unpacking the box of food and I looked down to the bag of pasta. I was mesmerized with that bag.

"Lana, you okay?" Rick stopped unpacking to look at me.

I snapped out of my thoughts. "Yeah."

Rick's caring eyes didn't leave mine.

"It's just; Hunter loved pasta. He would beg me to make it every day. Matt, he thought it wasn't healthy for him to eat it every single day so he would try to make him eat other food. Hunter, he, he refused, made Matt's life harder. I uh, talked to Hunter alone one night, asked why he didn't want to eat anything else. He told me that he kept at it because it was the only way to get his attention... All he wanted to do was spend time with his dad because he was hardly home and making him angry at the pasta issue was one of the very little times he would be around Hunter. He wanted more than just a quick bedtime story at nights. He, he wanted to bond with his father." I looked out the window into the sunset, not wanting Rick to see me tear up.

Rick stood there in silence. I looked back to him wiping the tears away regrouping my emotions.

"Lori…every Sunday, she'd make us these pancakes that were just, God awful."

I chuckled lightly making Rick briefly laugh at his memory.

"Clumps of flour that weren't mixed in right. The thing was she knew it was bad."

"Why keep at it?" I asked.

"She wanted us to be the kind of family that ate pancakes on Sunday." His smile started disappearing as his right hand was shuffling a can of corn back and forth on the table. "There are some cosmetics in my bathroom. After dinner I'll bring them over to you. You might have more use for them. I like to stay all natural." Rick joked as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Nice. I only found mascara in my bathroom and its already running out. Could use some more."

Rick and I enjoyed a nice dinner for two reminiscing and getting to know each other even better. After dinner I walked with Rick over to his house to get the cosmetics.

Rick opened the door to find Sam, Glenn and Carl in the living room.

"Hey, hope you don't mind us being here." Glenn got up and walked towards Rick.

"Of course not. You guys are welcome anytime."

Rick walked to the restroom and walked back out with a black make up bag. I opened it and observed what was in there.

"Wow, I get to wear eyeliner again." I smiled.

"Lana, come sit down with us." Sam moved over to the side of the sofa making room for me.

"No thanks you guys, I'm gonna call it a night."

"Aw come on." Sam walked over to me with those darn innocent puppy eyes again.

"Maybe tomorrow." I leaned in giving Sam a hug then over to Glenn. Carl came up and hugged me as well. I patted his back resisting the hug a bit. As Carl hugged me I couldn't help but think of Hunter. It's hard to be around Carl and children in general because Hunter was in the face of every child and the pain was just too much.

"I'll walk you." Rick followed me out the door.

"You don't have too. I'm right next door."

"At least let me be a gentleman." Rick smiled.

We reached the porch of my house and I looked up to Rick. "Thank you sir."

"No problem ma'am." Rick gently smiled.

"Oh I think I have something in my room Carl might like." I opened the door and walked to my room as Rick followed behind me. I opened the drawer and pulled out an Iron Man comic. "I don't know if he likes this kind of stuff but hey, can't be too picky now a days."

"He'll love it." He smiled as he flipped through the pages.

We walked to the door and I reached for the door knob.

"Lana."

"Yeah." I let go to the knob and turned to Rick as he was looking down at the floor.

"I don't mean to intrude in your personal life, but uh, you and Daryl… are you two…" He looked to me with one eye brow slightly raised.

"I uh…" I bit my bottom lip not knowing how to respond to that.

"I mean, I don't want you to think that I'll get mad or it will be weird. We talked about you and I for Carl sake. If you and Daryl are… there's something different about him now. He cares more and it's when he's around you.

"I don't know what to do Rick. You and I… I really care about you…"

"And you care for Daryl." He interrupted.

I stood quiet not knowing how to respond to that.

"I'm happy for you."

"What?" I looked to him in a slight shock to hear him say that.

"You and Daryl, I could see that actually working out. You two seem completely opposite but it could work."

I couldn't think of anything to say as Rick got closer and positioned himself right in front of me looking into my eyes.

"I care for you Lana. I really do. The night at the farm, what we shared, I'll never forget it. I didn't think I could care for someone besides Lori but priorities come first. Carl, I need to do what it takes to make sure he's alive, healthy and happy. He's not over his mom and deep down inside I feel like I shouldn't be with another woman." Rick looked down at his wedding ring, twisting it around his finger. "I need time to reinvent myself. Start over. You and Daryl, I can see you two sharing something real special. You deserve to be happy. Daryl needs someone like you by his side."

"Rick… I, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. Just know you don't have to hide it anymore." He peacefully smiled at me letting me know everything is okay.

I leaned up and gave him a peck on his warm cheek; his stubble tickled my lips. I opened the door and walked him outside.

"Good night Lana."

"Good night Rick."

We both leaned in for a hug. My arms around his waist, his warm arms around me as I laid my head to rest on his chest, not wanting this beautiful hug to end.

"Thank you Rick." I whispered releasing the hug.

Rick nodded and walked back to his house. I sighed looking up to the dark sky. Clouds were hiding all the stars but one. I stood there a bit looking at that one little visible star and walked back into the house to get ready for bed.

I woke up in a cold sweat panting as I got out of bed. Horrible nightmares wouldn't let me fall back to sleep. I walked around the house thinking of everything that has happened and then it hit me. I know what I have to do. I then went back into my room, grabbed my backpack and started packing.

*Knock, Knock, Knock*

I walked to the door and saw Sam outside through the window.

"Hey Sam, what's up?" I opened the door with curiosity.

"I saw the candle lights and movement. Figured you couldn't sleep and I'm kinda on the same boat. Wanted to see if you were okay." Sam answered with a slight smile on his lovely caring face.

"I just kept having some bad dreams is all. I'm fine. Although I would appreciate it if you could do me a favor." I moved letting Sam in.

"Sure thing. What do you need?"

"A weapon." I blurted.

"What for?"

"It's just… I can't sleep because I'm scared. No matter how secure it is here I would sleep a lot better if I had a weapon with me. My gun and knife. Do you think you could sneak it out to me?"

"They pretty much keep tabs on what's in the storage room. I could try to sneak it out."

"If you could do that Sam that would be great, please. They won't know it's you, I promise." I took a step closer to Sam working my puppy dog eyes.

"I'll sneak it out for you." Sam looked away from my pleading face surrendering.

"Thank you so much Sam. I really appreciate it!"

"Well I should probably get out of your hair." Sam started walking towards the door.

"Sam." I called and he turned around looking at me. "I, uh, I don't want to sleep alone tonight. You think you could stay, at least for a while until I fall asleep?"

"Sure." He smiled. I walked up to him and hugged him tight burying my head in his chest. I was cold and he was like a tall heater that instantly warmed me up.


	25. D.C

-Morning-

I woke up in the same bed with Sam. Even though I didn't want to because of the body heat we were sharing and the comfort I felt, I woke him up and we left the house together heading off to work.

The same schedule again, children went home with their parents at twelve and this time no sign of James. I got to my house and grabbed my key and turned the knob. Suddenly Sam jumped up from behind me.

"Crap Sam, you're gonna give me a heart attack!" I laid my right hand over my heart.

"Sorry. I got something for you."

Sam and I walked into the house and he pulled out my knife and gun from the inside of his jacket.

"Glenn helped me get them. He knows just to let you know."

"Thank you so much Sam!" I hugged him sighing with relief. "Have you seen Daryl?"

"No, haven't really seen him around actually."

"Well if you see him can you tell him I was looking for him?" I looked to Sam letting go of the hug.

"Of course."

Sunset

I spent the course of my afternoon looking for Daryl but came up empty handed. I couldn't find him anywhere. I went back inside and took a nap getting ready for tonight.

I woke up and checked the time. 1:47 a.m. I put my jacket on, made sure all my things were packed and ready, went outside and sat on the cold porch to think for a moment before I took my leaving.

"Can't sleep?" I heard Daryl's voice.

I looked around and through the darkness I vaguely made out his figure. He was next door sitting on his porch.

"Daryl, I've been looking for you." I told him hoping he would walk over to me.

He didn't say a word. He didn't even bother moving. "Daryl." I called out again but nothing. I walked over and stood right in front of him as he was still sitting. He didn't even bother looking up to me.

"Daryl?" Again no response. I sat down next to him on the porch. I started getting frustrated with him. He wasn't talking or looking at me.

"Hey, talk to me!" I forcefully grabbed his face to look at me.

"Grab my face again and I'll…"

"You'll what?" I interrupted him.

"Just leave me be." He got up and walked to his door. I quickly got up and blocked the door before he could open it.

"No, you don't get to do this to me. You need to grow some balls and talk to me. Why are you so angry?"

"Like you don't know. That asshole who kissed you. You and Rick leaving Carl with Glenn and Sam so you two could be alone in your house for hours. You two seemed nice and cozy hugging on your porch and don't think I didn't see Sam leavin your house in the mornin. I know he spent the night. Quit waistin my time!" He pushed me off to the side and opened the door. I quickly went inside before he closed it shut.

"Get the hell out!" He growled.

"James kissed me and on the cheek. He caught me totally by surprise. Sam spent the night because I kept having these damn dreams and really needed someone to talk to and didn't want to be alone. I tried finding you but you fuckin disappeared on me. And as for Rick, you really think something is going on between us? Nothing is going on. We had diner. The whole time I was talking about Matt and Hunter and he was talking about Lori and Carl and the hug, you wanna know what that was about? It was about your dumbass! He knows what's going on and he's happy for us. He thinks we're a good couple. We're friends Daryl! I hug all my friends; it's what I fuckin do! And what about you? It feels like forever since I've seen you. I tried looking for you and I see you at the party drunk with three other girls who seemed to be all over you!"

"Whatever. I tried looking for you and nothing happened with those girls. I was drinkin and they came up to me and started talkin and askin questions. You really think I'd do anything to hurt you?"

"Well you think I would hurt you!" I yelled in frustration. "I just happened to be in the group. Now that we are in a community you don't have to be with me. There are plenty of women here who would suit you better."

"Don't change the subject. Why the hell where you with that James guy anyways!"

"The same reason you were with those whores."

"Whatever." He turned his back to me.

"Damn it Daryl you are one stupid red neck!"

"Red neck? Nice insult coming from a harlot." He turned back to me.

"Fuck you Daryl."

"I have a feeling you already gave enough fucks to Rick, Sam and that asshole already."

I walked up to Daryl and slapped him hard on his check.

"Bitch." Daryl muttered under his breath as he rubbed his cheek.

"Go to hell!" I turned my back to him and walked out the door and to my house. As I was about to slam my door Daryl pushed it open catching me by surprise, I didn't hear him behind me.

Daryl quickly closed the door, grabbed my arms and pushed me against the door. I let out a small whimper of pain that lightly seared through my bullet wound and stab wound on my shoulder and gulped, not knowing what was going to happen next as I looked down to his hand on my upper right arm. He leaned his forehead on mine and slowly started caressing my arms realizing the force he released on me and his hand that was on my wound.

"I'm sorry." He then put his lips to where my bullet wound is and kissed it though the jacket I was wearing. His lips then moved to my left shoulder and kissed my stab wound as well.

"Daryl…" I whispered. He then buried his face into the right side of my neck letting out a deep breath. "I hugged Sam at the cabin, he spent the night and you think something is going on. I understand why you got angry at James but when I hugged Rick you thought something was going on. Why do you keep assuming?"

He deeply sighed though my neck. "This girl I really liked, Jennifer, we were together for almost a year. I took our relationship seriously. At the end I guess she didn't. I found her in bed with my best friend. I'm just… afraid…"

"Daryl…" I interrupted him and gently cupped my right hand to his cheek bringing his face up to look at me. "I'm not Jennifer. I know how it feels to be cheated on and I would never want to hurt you like that. I care about you to damn much you jerk."

Daryl rested his forehead on mine and cupped my face with both of his hands, slowly moving his hands towards my hair, letting his fingers tangle in as my hands rested on his chest. His lips pressed on mine, slow and soft. He let the kiss linger and rested his forehead on mine again.

"Lana, I, I love you." Sincerity, sorrow, honesty, and love etched on his caring face.

I closed my eyes but a few tears still managed to escape as I took in a deep breath.

"Daryl, I love you too." I whispered letting his words sink in.

His lips seduced mine, he lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. Our lips did not stop as he carefully walked me to my bedroom and laid me down on my bed. I held on to his neck with my right arm and with my left hand I pushed my backpack out of my way and it dropped to the floor.

Daryl stopped and looked to the floor seeing my bag packed and the hunting knife that fell out of it. In the back of my mind I was hoping he wouldn't think anything of it. He got off me, picked up my bag and opened it. He saw that my things were packed along with the gun.

"You leavin?" He put my backpack down on the bed and stared hard at it.

"Yeah." I whispered.

"Were you even gonna bother tellin me?"

"Why do you think I was lookin for you. Daryl…"

"Where?" He interrupted and now shifted his eyes to mine through the dark room with only the night light shining through the window.

"D.C."


	26. Change in Plan

Moments passed of complete silence.

"Daryl, it's something I have to do. Not you." I walked up to him waiting for a response. His eyes stared back at my backpack not moving a muscle. "I can't do this…pretend that everything is alright and play house, be around children when I see Hunters face in them. I can't be around these people I just can't. Dean's death needs to mean something and he was convinced D.C was a sure thing. I'm goin for it."

"How do you know D.C isn't run down?" Daryl croaked.

"I don't." I sighed.

"Sam know?" He questioned.

"No. Dean wanted his brother to be safe and happy. I'm not goin to tell him just so he could risk his life for something that could just be a dream."

"Alright then. I'll start packin."

"You're not going. I'm not going to have you risk your life leaving this place for another place that might not even be standing." I ordered.

*Knock, Knock, Knock*

I walked out of the bedroom leaving Daryl alone. I looked out the window and made out James figure. I leaned my back against the door not wanting to open it.

"Who is it?" Daryl walked towards me.

"No one." I grabbed his arm leading him back in the bedroom.

"Lana. I know you're awake. Let's talk about this please." James voice slipped through the door.

Daryl resisted and looked at the door.

"I don't know what got into me. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put my hands on you like that."

Daryl's body tensed up as he clenched his jaw. He paced towards the door.

"Daryl!" I followed.

Daryl swung the door open and with all his force punched James in the nose with his right hand. James flew back and fell off the porch.

"Daryl, stop!" I stood there not knowing what to do.

Daryl picked James up by his hair and threw another punch. James somehow countered him and threw a punch of his own, both of them now trading blows. James tackled Daryl to the floor and started dominating. I ran up behind James and tried to pull him off. James then struck me with his hand and got off Daryl. I flew back a bit holding my jaw where he struck me.

"Is this what you want? That beaten down hick you call a man?" James yelled out as he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his arms.

"Let go of me!" I struggled, trying to get out of his grip. Daryl pulled James's hair and slammed him to the floor. Daryl got on top of him, throwing blows with no mercy.

"What's going on?" Rick ran out of his house and towards the commotion.

Rick dragged Daryl off James but James quickly got up and tackled Daryl down almost taking Rick with him. Rick grabbed James and threw him on the floor. James then threw a punch at Rick.

"Don't move." Rick pulled out his gun and aimed it to his face.

"You gonna pull that trigger of you're going to pussy out?" James provoked Rick.

"It doesn't need to go down like this. Calm down and get up." Rick got off James still aiming the gun to him. James laid on the ground looking at Rick like he was the devil. He then slowly got up. "Now can someone explain what is going on?"

"That red neck attacked me." James quickly defend himself.

"He put his hands on Lana." Daryl got in James's face again. I quickly pulled Daryl away from him.

"What's going on?" Daniel walked towards us. "What are you doing with James?" He looked to Rick who was still aiming his gun to him.

We all stood quiet not knowing what to say.

"Everyone in my house now!" Daniel angrily demanded.

We all walked to Daniel's house and into the living room.

"Dad, I'm the innocent one here. That woman came on to me and her boyfriend attacked me."

"Dad? Wait, you're his father?" I looked to Daniel in disbelief.

"I bring you all into my community that I have built with my own two hands to keep you guys safe and this is how you repay me?" Daniel glared to us.

"You're son is a liar. He tried to take advantage of me. He came to my house in the middle of the night and Daryl did what any man would do to protect someone." I defended my case.

"You came on to me! And I don't blame you, I'm more of a man than that!" James pointed to Daryl.

"Keep talkin trash cause your gonna…" Daryl was interrupted by Rick holding him back away from James trying to calm the situation.

"Rick, is this true?" Daniel looked to him waiting for the truth.

I knew in the back of my mind Rick wouldn't know how to respond to that. Rick has no idea what was going on. Daryl barely knew what was going on. I never told them what happened between James and I.

"Yes, it's true." Rick looked Daniel right in the eyes.

"James." Daniel walked towards the kitchen. "A word."

James followed his father moping into the kitchen leaving Rick, Daryl and I alone in the living room. It was pretty quiet for a moment then a loud thump to the floor alarmed us all. Daniel slowly walked out of the kitchen and back into the living room as he put something away under his jacket.

"I told him that if he ever laid his hand on another woman again I'd take care of him. He won't be bothering you again." Daniel looked to Lana. "Rick…you're a good man, a man of the law. You are the one now." Daniel walked passed us and out of the house.

We quickly ran to the kitchen and saw James dead on the floor. His neck cut open with a bloody knife right next to him. Rick and Daryl stood there in shock of what just happened. I quickly picked up to the knife and drove it into his skull before he turned.

Rick quickly walked out and I followed and Daryl followed me. We walked out of the house and saw Daniel walking in the middle of the street.

"Everyone! Out of your houses! This is very important! Everyone out now!" Daniel yelled out walking down the streets yelling for everyone to wake up.

"Daniel!" Rick called out to him wondering what he was up to.

"Rick, you stay right there, don't move! You're gonna need to hear this!" Daniel yelled back out.

People started getting out of their houses and stood on the sidewalks.

"Everyone! I have a something very important to say!" Daniel announced to everyone.

Rick, Daryl and I were just a few feet away from him.

"I started this community from scratch. A safe zone from the bitters. You people look up to me for answers and security, but I can no longer do this, I'm not the man for the job anymore. I hear by resign as your leader." He looked around to the people surrounding him. Everyone looked to him confused, whispering amongst themselves. "You're new leader is strong, smart, and knows what it takes to survive." Daniel slowly took out a gun from his jacket. "Rick Grimes! A man of the law!" He quickly pointed his gun to Rick and then back down. "The best man I know for the job. A man that will keep you all alive."

Daniel took another look at the people. "I'm sorry James." He mumbled under his breath, making the sign of the cross with his gun and aimed it to his head.

"No!" Rick yelled out running to Daniel.

*Boom*


	27. Chaos

The gun shot echoed loudly through all our ears. Children screaming, parents tried calming them down as they covered their eyes. A moment passed that felt like days as Rick stood by Daniel's dead body dumbstruck. I walked up behind Rick and caressed his back with my left hand. I felt a ran drop trickle down my forehead.

"Everyone back inside!" Rick dictated the crowd.

The people seemed hesitant to do so.

"Come on you guys back inside. Nothing else to see here." I tried getting people to leave the area and back into their homes.

From the corner of my eye I saw Glenn, Sam and Carl approach the people getting them back into their homes. The loud sound of thunder struck the atmosphere; lighting up the place with a flash of light as if God was taking a picture of this tragedy bestowing upon us, slowly showering us with the coldest rain of the winter.

"Rick! We got bitters, and lots of em." Tyreese emerged from the vanishing crowd.

We all followed Tyreese to the fences to see a crowd of walkers trying to push their way in.

"They're all around us, no way of getting out. We need to do something now or they'll over power us." Tyreese informed.

"Tyreese, we need all the man power we have, get everyone capable of fighting now. The rest of you follow me." Rick observed the situation.

Tyreese went to gather the rest of the people in the community able to fight and Rick, Daryl, Sam, Glenn, Carl and I ran to the storage room and gathered all the weapons we needed to fight.

"Take this and go back home." Rick handed Carl two hunting knives and two guns with extra amo, one to put in his pocket and one to hold on to.

"I'm fighting with you guys, I'm not going home." Carl defied his father.

"Carl there's no time for this, take this and go home. It's safer there."

"Dad, I…"

"Go!" Rick led Carl out of the storage room watching the very angry Carl walk home.

"We stab them through the fence, see how far we get." Glenn ran to the fence and started stabbing the walkers.

Tyreese and about thirteen well armed men ran towards us.

"What's the plan?" The flustered Tyreese questioned Rick.

"We can't get outside the gates, so we stab them from inside." Rick announced to Tyreese and the rest of the men.

We all started stabbing the walkers one by one through the holes of the fences.

I aimed my knife to a rotting walker and once the knife penetrated through its skull another walker pushed the one I stabbed away. I quickly tried to pull the knife back out but it was jammed deep in its head and I lost my knife in the walkers skull. I took a step back, letting out a sigh as I saw my breath in the air, shaking as I was freezing and noticed we weren't going to win this. The fence was slowly falling over.

"Rick, there's too many of them!"

Rick and the men were doing everything in their power to make sure the fences didn't fall over but were quickly failing, no time for another plan.

"You!" Rick pointed to the youngest man who was fighting with us. "Get everyone in this town ready to leave now! No time to pack just get everyone into a vehicle. Lana, get Carl and get in the car ready to leave! Take Carl's walkie talkie!"

"Rick…"

"Now!" Rick yelled out.

I ran with every emotion I had to the house following orders. As I got close to Ricks house I noticed walkers by the fence slowly tipping it down. I ran up to the house and tried opening the door but to no avail, it was locked.

"Carl!" I banged on the door. "Carl!"

No answer.

"Fuckin Carl." I muttered under my breath running to the back of the house to see if the back door was unlocked. As I turned the corner to the back of Rick's house I saw the fence fall down. Walkers were spilling out trying to get to me. I quickly turned around and ran to the front of the house.

"Carl!" I screamed. I tripped to the ground, slipping on the wet floor, rain pouring hard over my body.

*Boom*

I looked up and saw Carl firing at the walkers. I got up and ran to him, grabbed his arm and was about to run to where the cars are but was quickly blocked by walkers. The only way away from them was the house. Carl took out his key and opened the door. We ran in and I closed the door shut.

"Get your walkie talkie." I panted. Carl ran into his room and ran back out holding on to it.

"What do we do?" Carl paced the living room.

I looked out the window and noticed most of the walkers were at the front door where they saw Carl and I run in. I checked the window in the back and noticed that not too many were in the back anymore.

"We go out fighting. They could break through these windows anytime and we'll be surrounded. We leave now. Rick told me to head for the cars. We need to get prepared to take off." Carl and I loaded our guns and I took in a deep breath.

"We're not leaving without my dad." Carl looked to me as if I was planning on to.

"I'll die before that happens." I swung open the back door and started running to where the cars were with Carl by my side. As we got to the cars Sam ran up to us.

"Where's everyone else?" I briefly looked to Sam as I was scouting out for walkers that may be near.

"I don't know. Walkers split us apart!" Sam panted, clearly out of breath. Luckily walkers have not gotten to this area yet. Carl and I got into a car. Carl opened the glove box and tossed me the keys. From the rear view mirror I saw Sam get into a beige truck. Carl turned on the walkie talkie calling out for Rick. No answer. Sam drove the truck right next to my car to talk to me through the window.

"What do we do?" I yelled out to Sam.

"We wait. If it starts to get bad over here we drive through the fence and leave. It's our only option."

"Lana? Where's Carl?" Ricks voice scratched through the walkie talkie.

"Dad! We're in the car! Where are you?" Carl held the walkie talkie close to his mouth with both hands.

"We had to run into the Wilson's home. There were too many walkers. We're trapped." Rick voice was breaking up.

"I'll go first. I'll distract the walkers, get as many as I can away from the house and you guys get them out!" Sam drove off.

I waited a few seconds then turned on the car. I turned on the head lights and windshield wipers to view what was in front of me and followed. From a distance I saw Sam slow down the truck and yelled out to the walkers getting them to follow him. It was working. Most of the walkers stumbled away from the house and followed Sam's truck.

I drove up to the house and Carl told Rick we were outside through the walkie talkie. Rick, Glenn and Tyreese ran out of the house and into the car.

"Where's Daryl?" I yelled out in panic.

"Walkers separated us." Rick took in a deep breath.

I drove around the place with the window half down yelling out for Daryl as I was running over the scattered walkers, feeling their bodies crack on the hood of the car, desperately hoping to find Daryl.

"We need to get out of here!" Tyreese grabbed my shoulder.

I slammed the breaks, and jumped out the car.

"Lana!" Rick yelled out.

I shot two walkers that neared me in the head and ran not paying any attention to Rick and the rest. I saw an object from a distance on the sidewalk. I ran towards it and shot three more walkers that were close by. The crossbow. It was on the sidewalk cracked. My heart sunk as I stood in front of it, everything went red and time slowed down. Glenn suddenly ran up to me.

"Get back in the car!" Glenn grabbed my arm. I quickly pushed him away from me.

"I'm not leaving without Daryl!" I yelled through the pounding of the rain.

Rick ran to us and both of them dragged me to the back seat of the car. I tried to fight them off but I quickly ran out of energy. Tyreese was in the driver's seat getting out of what's left of the community. We drove over the broken down fence and out into the woods.

"Stop the car!" I screamed.


	28. Ready to Die

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank my beta reader Elana for being my beta reader for chapter 28 through 30. She has a walking dead fanfiction called Forever Rising Phoenix on the site FanFiction.net that is definitely worth a read.

"Stop the car!" I screamed as I opened the back door, threatening to jump out, but Tyreese didn't budge.

"Stop the car!" Rick gripped onto Tyreese's shoulder.

Tyreese finally slammed the breaks and I jumped out, running a few yards, dodging walkers left and right. I went up to the beige truck that was crashed against a tree, the truck Sam was driving. The driver's door was wide open, the car chime still sounding, alerting me the keys were still in the ignition. Blood was splattered on the steering wheel, with Sam's knife on the floor, covered with blood. I looked over the whole car but Sam was nowhere to be found.

"Sam! Sam!" I paced all around the area trying to find him. I looked back to the group, seeing that they had their hands full with the scattered walkers that were nearing the car. From the corner of my eye, I saw two walkers approaching me. I picked up Sam's knife and tackled one of the walkers to the floor, stabbing it in the face several times.

"No! No!" I screamed as I stabbed it for the last time, leaving the knife in its skull.

I got up and turned to the other walker. I pulled out my gun and pulled the trigger multiple times, firing into its skull. I kept pulling the trigger after I fired all rounds, I couldn't comprehend that I had run out of bullets.

"No!" I let out all my anger and frustration on the walker with a torn up, dirty, white dress. Sam was probably dead along with Daryl and I was ready to throw in the towel, I was ready to die. I stomped my foot through the wet, deformed, blown off head. "No!"

"We need to go!" A gruff voice slammed the back of my neck and a pair of muscular arms grabbed me from behind, dragging me away from the already dead walker. I was fighting off who ever grabbed me, wanting to be left alone so I could just die.

"Lana!" The man turned me around to face him. Blood rushed to my head, I lost my balance and almost fell to the ground as he held me.

"We need to go." Daryl wrapped my right arm around his neck before carrying me to the safety of the car.

"Sam?" I called out as I stared at the man who was standing behind the car.

"I'm here, Lana." Sam answered.

My heart was immediately lifted; Daryl and Sam were okay…it was going to be okay. Everyone was in the car, ready to leave, but Sam just stood by the open back door of the car. Sam gazed down at Lana, then gently slammed the car door.

"Sam, get in the car!" Rick rolled down the window, wondering why he backed away.

"You guys need to go." Sam stood outside, not getting in.

"Sam, wha…" Rick stopped mid sentence as Sam walked away from the car.

Rick got out and I followed right behind him.

"I was bitten." Sam grunted in pain.

I stood behind Rick, breathless as Sam raised his pants, showing the infected bite on his right ankle.

"Happened when the walkers broke through the fence." He explained.

"No. There has to be a way. We can cut it off before it spreads." Rick stepped closer to him.

"No. It's too late. I'm already feeling it." Sam backed away from us.

Daryl had gotten out of the car, stabbing two walkers that were getting close and walked up behind me.

"No! Sam." I ran over to him after it finally sank in and tackled him with a hug.

"You guys need to leave, it's not safe here." Sam gently pushed me off.

I touched his cheek and he was right, it's too late. He was burning up with a fever that was slowly killing him.

"Sam…" Tears ran down my face as I looked into his eyes with sorrow.

"Don't cry, everyone dies eventually right?" He deeply sighed, attempting to be strong in his final moments. "I get to be with Dean again." Sam faked a half smile, followed by a hoarse cough, which caused him to back up and lean against a tree for support, clearly evident that he was showing signs of weakness.

"I can't…we can't…Sam…" I mumbled.

"I just need a gun."

We all stood in front of Sam knowing that this was it.

Glenn walked up to Sam, holding back the tears and pulled him in for a hug.

"You guys got this." Sam assured Glenn.

Glenn backed away, wanting to cry as Carl walked up to Sam and hugged him goodbye. As Carl released from the hug, I went in and hugged him again for the last time.

"I'm sorry." I rested my forehead on his hot wet forehead as the rain continued to drip down on us.

"This isn't on you." Sam's right hand quickly ran through my wet hair, pushing it out of my face.

I pulled away, trying not to further bust out crying.

Rick walked up to him and pulled out his gun, checking the cylinder for bullets. He went in for a hug and in that hug, Rick handed Sam the gun as he closed his eyes in disbelief and backed away from him.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Daryl looked to Sam, not knowing what else to say.

"Yeah." Sam replied. The fear and terror showed behind the forced half smile he wore.

We stood there for another moment, it had become unbearable to walk away from him. He was one of us, but we would now be one less without him. Another one bites the dust. I turned around and wept my way to the car, I couldn't look at him any longer. I leaned my chest against the car and rested my arms on top of the wet roof. As I leaned against the car, I felt gentle hands pulling me away.

"C'mon." Daryl whispered, as he opened the back door and helped me in.

Everyone got in the car and Daryl pulled me into his arms. Rick hesitated to drive away as he looked back to Sam, who was leaning against the tree, before hit the steering wheel, releasing his frustration, and turned on the car. All of us were frustrated that we couldn't help Sam. We drove away, I looked back until Sam's figure disappeared into the night. Once he was out of sight, I sobbed into Daryl's wet jacket. I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I knew that it was just at matter of time before I lost everyone else as well.

Dawn

"Dad, I need to use the restroom." Carl whispered into his father's ear.

After what seemed like hours of driving and the twilight dawn rising, Rick pulled over to the side of the road of a small deserted town. We all got out to stretch and relieve our bladders. After all was relieved, we gathered back to the car once again.

"Seems pretty quiet, we should probably scout out a few places for food and anything else worth taking." Rick studied our surroundings.

"Alright." I muttered under my cold breath as I walked away from them and off to the nearest building I saw.

Footsteps pattered behind me, but I didn't bother looking back.

"You ain't goin off alone." Daryl walked beside me as we approached a small grocery store.

"I'll go first." Daryl pushed himself in front of me, his gun and hunting knife out, ready to attack as he opened the door.

We cautiously walked in, shelves broken down, wrappers scattered, the place seemed like it was already raided thoroughly.

"I'll check the back, see…" The door to the back room of the store silenced Daryl as we both aimed our guns to whatever it was that was opening the door.

"Whoah." A woman gasped as she aimed her gun to us.

I tilted my head to the right, in shock of who was standing across from me.

"Lana?" The woman softly whispered as she put her gun back in her holster and walked over to me with open arms.

"Carol?"

"I thought you were dead. I went over to your house and saw blood everywhere and Matt…." Carol stopped mid sentence, not wanting to finish it. I let go of the hug and saw another woman with a katana coming out of the back room, observing what was happening. "Is it just you two?" Carol glanced at Daryl.

"Five of us now, including me."

"You guys holding up anywhere?"

I looked down, shaking my head in decline. Carol walked away and pulled the woman she was with off to the side for a discussion. I felt Daryl's eyes on me but I didn't lose focus of Carl and the woman she was with. The woman with the Katana nodded and Carol walked back up to me.

"We're holding up in a prison, eight miles north of here. There's twenty two people in our group. I need your word that the people you are with are not bad. We've ran into a few bad eggs and we've lost many."

"They saved my life countless times, they're good people."

"I need to meet the rest of your group first." The woman with the katana walked over to Daryl and I, observing and studying us.

"I'll go get them." Daryl walked out.


	29. One Last Day

Michonne interrogated Rick, Carl, Glenn, Tyreese, Daryl and myself with very detailed questions about the things we had done to stay alive and if we were valuable assets to their group. After we said our part, she seemed to understand, and thank the heavens she trusted us. If it weren't for Carol backing us up, I don't think we would have been accepted as quickly.

Carol and Michonne introduced us to the other survivors once we arrived at the prison. The prison was well equipped with everything one needed to survive. Concrete walls, fences, crops. Everything was organized and kept together, it was perfect.

"You guys can stay in cell block C. I know it isn't luxurious, but you'll get a good night's rest without having to keep one eye open. Make yourselves at home." Carol walked us into the cell block.

"It's perfect." I smiled warmly to her. "Thank you." She walked out of the cell block, leaving me and the group to settle in.

Three Days Later

"Lana." Daryl walked into my cell.

I quickly snapped out of my thoughts and got up from the cell bed.

"I'm headed off with Rick and Michonne on a run, wanted to see if you were okay before I leave."

"Great, I'm going with you guys." I turned my back to him as I grabbed my knife and gun out of my backpack.

"You ain't goin."

"Yes, I am." I brushed past Daryl, whose eyes were fixated on my backpack.

"Why haven't you unpacked your stuff yet?"

I stopped and looked back at him, but didn't say a word.

"You still plannin' on leavin', aren't you?" Daryl walked up to me.

"We've talked about this already."

"We're doin' good here, and if D.C is a bust and you…" Daryl stopped mid sentence and looked away from me.

"I have to." I quickly corrected myself. "I need to."

"You still plannin' on slippin' out without a word to anyone?" Daryl's tone seemed pretty defensive.

I looked down to the plain floor. I couldn't answer that because that's exactly what I was planning on.

"So you just gonna sneak out without sayin' nothing, makin' everyone look for you when they figure out you aint here? You know I'm not gonna let you go alone."

"I'm not goin' with you! I told you I need to do this on my own." I looked Daryl right in the eye.

"You comin', Daryl?" Michonne walked into the cell block, ready to go on the run.

-Town-

We all got out of the car once we reached the deserted town circled on the map that Rick carried with him.

"Alright, we split up. Daryl and Lana, you guys take North, Michonne and I will take South." Rick pulled out his knife.

"Uh, Rick, I'd much rather team up with you on this one."

Daryl, Rick and Michonne quickly stared at me in confusion.

"Okay. It doesn't matter who's with who, I guess." Rick accepted as Daryl stared at me cautiously.

Rick and I carefully walked into a supermarket. Broken windows, a couple of decaying bodies we had to walk over, scattered boxes and broken objects that surrounded us. We were scoping out the place for anything useful. I found three toothbrushes, baking soda and some stale Tic Tacs.

I heard a loud growl echo in the air and looked over to Rick, who was on the other side of the store. A walker with no legs was hungrily crawling after him. He gripped his knife with his right hand and stabbed it straight through its skull, ending its sad life of being a rotting walker.

I looked away and opened my backpack to load up my findings, but stopped as I felt the presence of someone behind me.

"Are you mad at Daryl?" Rick's voice softly hit the back of my neck.

"No. Why?" I turned to him.

"Figured you'd want to be out here with him is all."

"I feel like we don't talk anymore, if you wanted to be with Michonne then…"

"No, it's always great to be around you." Rick gently smiled, always knowing how to put me at ease without even trying.

"I thought, maybe we could talk about something?" I packed up my findings.

"What about?"

"Well, I've been thinking about D.C."

Rick tilted his head slightly to the right, just like a cute puppy would, wondering where I was headed with the conversation.

"I'm gonna go for it and before you say anything, just know that no matter what you say, it's not going to change my mind. Dean was certain that D.C was still up and running and I have nothing to lose. I need to know. His death needs to mean something. I'm not asking you or anyone to come with me; I need to do this solo. I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Does Daryl know?" Rick rubbed the back of his neck as if I was frustrating him.

"Yeah, he's against it, but it's not up to him and I'm not asking him to go either. Rick, you have all these people to look out for now. You need to protect Carl and help keep the prison going. Those people have trusted you with their lives in three short days. That keeps you going and D.C is the only hope keeping me going now. If it's still there, rest assured that I'll be coming back for you guys, and if it's not, I'm still coming back. There's nothing you can say or do that will stop me, so just accept it now and let's enjoy each other for one last day."

Rick gulped, swallowing every counter he wanted to throw at me, and deeply sighed.

"I don't like it and I doubt Daryl will let you go alone. As long as he's with you…I won't stop you." Rick pulled me in for a tight hug.

"Standing or not I will be back." I nuzzled in his jacket.

I stood there in Rick's embrace for what seemed like ten beautiful minutes. Every time I ended up in Rick's arms, it was just perfect. His scent, his humble spirit, everything about him was perfect, and it was one of the safest places to be now a days. His warmth was heating me up and I didn't want to let go.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to stay?"

"If you keep hugging me like this, I don't think I'll ever be able to leave." I rested my head on his shoulder with my arms around his waist.

"Well then, I don't think I'll ever let go." Rick's arms gently gave me a squeeze.

I don't know why, but hearing Rick say those words brought up the same feelings I had for him that night at the barn. That magical night of intimacy, compassion and love making. Being in Rick's arms was one of the safest places to be in now a days but it was also a place where my mind couldn't focus properly because all I wanted to do was to feel it all again.

Without me noticing, I grasped Rick tighter around the waist, bringing his hips closer to me.

"Lana?"

"Yes, Rick." I looked up to him, still not realizing that I had brought his hips closer to me.

His eyes carefully took in the situation he was in then quickly glanced at my chest as he gulped then back into my eyes. "We…we should probably get out of here." His hands gently grasped my upper arms.

"Yeah." I whispered as I finally realized how close we were to each other. I slowly let go of Rick and took a step back, feeling a little embarrassed of how close I brought him to me. I really hoped I didn't make him feel too uncomfortable.

"We should check out that hardware store next." Rick croaked.

I nodded as I pursed my lips. I bent down as my right hand reached down for my backpack not realizing Rick had done the same. His right hand gripped mine as I had gripped the backpack and I looked up to him. His eyes burned through mine and I suddenly lost control. I don't know if it was because I truly had fallen for him or because it's the heat of the moment, the thought that after tomorrow I may never see him again. Whatever it was, I'm sure he felt it as well because we both went for it.

Rick pulled my right hand and dragged me into his personal space and we simultaneously crashed our lips together. I couldn't contain myself, I slid my tongue in the crack of his lips and he graciously opened his mouth. The warmth of his tongue on mine made me weak in the knees. Every intimate moment of that night at the barn was what I was feeling again and life outside of his arms did not exist.

Rick's hands caressed my hips and brought me closer to him as my arms were wrapped around the back of his neck. It was raw, deep and completely unexpected. We both started slowing down the urgent kiss, making it more passionate for a few seconds, then slowly ended it. His forehead now rested on mine, the tip of our noses barely touching and now guilt quickly filled my lungs.

"I'm so sorry." Rick breathed. "I, I shouldn't have done that."

"Well, it's not entirely your fault. It takes two to tango."

We slowly pulled apart and stared at each other, obviously not knowing what to say.

"Daryl…"

"Daryl…"

Rick and I both stopped, noticing that we were both thinking the same thing. I stood quiet, wanting Rick to continue with what he was going to say.

"Daryl is like a brother to me, what we just did…"

"I know." I interrupted. "I know…it's just…"

"The heat of the moment, I guess." Rick finished the sentence for me.

"Yeah, heat of the moment. It, it was nothing because Daryl and I…"

"I know." Rick ran his right hand down his jaw with his eyes to the ground.

"Rick, I truly adore you but…"

"I know." Rick nodded as his eyes looked back at me.

"I want all of us to hang out tonight. You, Daryl, Carl, everyone else. One last night of smiles and laughter before I go."

I saw what looked like hurt in Ricks eyes as he clenched his jaw. "That sounds good." He nodded.


	30. Two Against the World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank my beta reader Elana for being my beta reader for chapter 28 through 30. She has a walking dead fanfiction called Forever Rising Phoenix on the site FanFiction.net that is definitely worth a read.
> 
> I realize this story has grammar mistakes and will like to apologize for them. My other stories will have less/none as I will have my beta reader to correct me.
> 
> This is my first Walking Dead FanFiction and will assure you the next Walking Dead FanFiction will be a lot better now that I had the practice on this story.
> 
> Thank you and stay awesome!~

-The Next Day-

"Lana. Lana, wake up." Rick's sweet voice broke me out of my sleep as he gently tugged the blanket off me.

"Hey." I yawned, slowly sitting up on the bed. "What's up?"

"We got you a few things for the road."

"Oh, okay, cool." I stood up on both feet with another yawn.

"Just head down to the cafeteria when you're done freshening up." Rick walked out of my cell.

I quickly freshened up and grabbed Dean's jacket before I walked out. A tear drop fell on the jacket as I stared at it, hugging it to my hands. "I'm doing this for you, Dean." I sighed to myself as I put it on and made my way to the prison cafeteria. I opened the door to see Rick, Carl, Glenn, Tyreese, Carol and Michonne turn at my presence.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Rick asked one more time as he walked over to me.

"I'm sure." I patted him on the back as we walked to the middle of the cafeteria.

"We packed you some food, water, clothes, a flash light with extra batteries, and a few other necessities." Carol zipped up the back pack and walked up to me, planting a huge hug. "We just found each other and now you're leaving." The sadness was evident in both her voice and her face as we released from the hug.

"I'll be back before you know it." I smiled to comfort her as it was all starting to finally sink in.

"I know you're goin' out there because of your friend's death and all, but we appreciate you doing this. It's a valiant effort and you're giving hope to everyone here." Tyreese leaned in for a hug.

"If there's help, I'll bring it straight to you guys." I looked to everyone reassuringly.

"Take care of yourself." Carl went in for a tight hug as he was sporting out Rick's police hat.

"You know it. Take care of your dad, okay?" I hugged him back.

"I will."

"Watch your ass out there." Glenn pulled me in for a hug when Carl stepped back.

"I will, don't worry about me." I warmly returned Glenn's embrace, then released to stare at him. "Please take care of yourself."

Glenn looked as if he was at a loss for words, all he could do was just nod solemnly. In the midst of the heartfelt goodbyes, I couldn't help but notice that a certain someone was missing.

"Where's Daryl?" I looked around.

"He's outside." Rick quickly looked me up and down.

"Well…I should probably get going. Traffic, you know." I joked, lightening the mood.

"If anything happens here we'll leave you a sign, let you know where we'll be at." Rick handed me two guns with extra ammo.

"Thank you, Rick, for everything." I looked into his clear blue eyes, accepting the guns.

After a final moment of staring at everyone, I walked outside to find Daryl.

"Finally ready to go, princess?" Daryl dropped the hood of a black 2006 Dodge Charger.

"Daryl, we talked about this..."

"You talked about this. You never let me finish talkin'." Daryl walked up to me and grabbed my backpack.

"Daryl…"

"You ain't goin' out there alone, I won't allow it." Daryl dropped the bag into the car and walked back to me.

I looked to him, wanting to challenge his sudden authority over me. "You won't allow it?"

"You damn straight I won't. You're clumsy, remember?" He smirked knowing I would smirk back at his remark.

Rick, Carl, Glenn and Carol walked up to Daryl for their last goodbyes. Carol and Rick walked up to me and hugged me one last time.

"Be careful." Rick whispered in my ear as we hugged.

"You too."

Rick pulled away from the hug and held on to my shoulders. His eyes full of worry, hiding behind his forced smile, trying to stay strong as he looked at me one last time.

"You keep your son safe." I gently kissed Rick's cheek and took a step back. He clenched his jaw tight and slowly nodded.

I reached around my neck and took off Crystal's gold angel wings necklace and held it in the palm of my hand. With eyes tearing up, I kissed the angel wings and softly gripped Rick's hand, laying the necklace on his palm and closed his hand.

"I'll be back for this." I looked into his eyes for a moment, giving him the only thing I had to remember me by and walked away.

I took a final glance at everyone, memorizing their faces, and got into the passenger side of the car. Daryl hopped in the driver's seat, sliding the key into the ignition.

"You ready?" I looked over to Daryl.

"Better day as any, princess."

I smirked and shook my head at the fact that he calls me "princess" when he knows it annoys me. "You can still stay here, you don't need to do this." I looked to him with honesty in my words.

"If you haven't let it sink in that I love you then you're one stupid woman." He turned the key, making the car growl with life.

Daryl leaned towards me and gently grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me in for a kiss. His other warm hand moved to my cheek and brushed my hair back. His kiss, a mixture of sweet and passionate, made my heart melt as I reached over and held on to his jacket. "I ain't leavin' my girl all alone." He pulled away and put the car in drive.

Those soft, wet lips of his left goose bumps all over my body and put me more at ease knowing that I have him by my side on this mission that I needed to complete.

*Honk Honk* Daryl lightly tapped the middle of the steering wheel, honking as we drove out of the prison as a sign of goodbye.

I looked through the rear view mirror and saw Rick and Michonne closing the gates before three roaming walkers made their way in.

In all honesty, I doubt that D.C is still up and running. I doubt that we'll even make it back to the prison after all this. I'm a pessimist, always have and always will be, but I can fake it really good to seem like an optimist. Hope, even though I didn't believe in it, was keeping me going. I don't know how many days it will take Daryl and me to get to D.C. but I'm going to try to keep count, even though I'll just be counting lost days.

I'm doing this for Dean, for Hunter, for everybody that's passed. The hope of seeing Rick's face again was going to help me pull through. The fact that I get to see Daryl's face every day was assuring me I would be safe in his care and his love. It's just the two of us now, two against the dead world.


End file.
